EU should take lead on mental health policy

WORLD Mental Health Day recently afforded an opportunity for many people to focus on a growing problem.

This is particularly the case within the EU.

Recently I wrote to the EU Commissioner for Public Health, Markos Kyprianou, seeking the support of the commission for an EU-wide information awareness campaign highlighting the problem of depression in Europe, and how best to tackle it.

The commission, in consultation with the European Parliament, is finalising its public health strategies for the period 2007-’13.

An allocation of €56m a year is available to the commission for public information campaigns on health issues in Europe.

The time has now come for the commission to take a leadership role on mental health policies.

It should put in place a Europe-wide information campaign highlighting the problems, the causes and the cures for depression in Europe.

There’s no doubt this is a real problem. More than 27% of adults within the EU suffer from some form of mental illness every year.

Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems experienced in Europe and studies have estimated that by 2020, depression will be the highest-ranking cause of disease in the developed world.

For every one person who experiences this illness directly, as many as five others will be affected.

The funds are available, so let’s meet this important challenge.

Liam Aylward TD MEP

Hugginstown

Co Kilkenny