Doha: The Sixth Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit, which opened Tuesday in Doha, held a plenary session on the theme: "Accountability in Mental Health for Children and Adolescents," with the participation of health ministers and experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The session, attended by HE Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, aimed to explore mechanisms to translate international commitments into concrete actions that positively impact the mental health of children and young people.
According to Qatar News Agency, HE State Minister for National Health of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mukhtar Ahmed Malik, affirmed that youth represent a true national asset, noting that nearly half of adult mental health problems begin before the age of 13, which highlights the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention within national policies and practical measures. He added that the political leadership in Pakistan recognizes the sensitivity and vital importance of this issue, noting that his country has introduced national and regional mental health legislation and integrated child and adolescent mental health services within the comprehensive primary health care package to ensure access across all areas.
His Excellency explained that close cooperation between the Pakistani Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), together with academic and implementation partners, has yielded promising results, with the development of evidence-based programmes such as PMLUS and EASE for children and adolescents, which are now being implemented globally and benefitting millions of people. The Pakistani minister stressed that investment in child and adolescent mental health is not a choice, but a national and global necessity to safeguard the well-being of the next generation and empower them with their fundamental rights.
For his part, HE Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus Michael Damianos emphasized that child and adolescent mental health is an urgent issue with a profound human dimension, pointing to rising rates of anxiety, depression and suicide among young people. He underlined that these phenomena are not only a health challenge, but also a test of governments' and societies' ability to uphold the rights and dignity of the next generation.
His Excellency noted that accountability requires building a transparent, child-centred system that combines clear indicators for goals, financing and performance measurement, in addition to regular data and reporting, with the involvement of children and adolescents themselves. He further pointed out that UNICEF and WHO launched a joint programme in 2022 to stimulate child and adolescent mental health, well-being and growth, with the aim of expanding services, strengthening supportive environments and improving access to high-quality mental health care.
The Cypriot Minister of Health explained that the Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Cyprus, established in 1990, provides comprehensive services to children up to the age of 17 and their families, based on WHO principles and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Meanwhile, Head of Mental Health at the World Health Organization Mark van Ommeren stressed that accountability is a pivotal element to ensure tangible progress, noting that the Mental Health Atlas tracks countries' investments in policies, legislation, financing and workforce.
He highlighted that many countries still lack child and adolescent mental health policies despite increasing international attention, affirming that the WHO, in cooperation with UNICEF and its partners, seeks to strengthen monitoring of progress at both national and international levels to ensure the desired outcomes. For her part, Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Focal Point at UNICEF Zainab Hijazi said accountability represents the missing link in international efforts to promote child and adolescent mental health. She stressed the importance of transforming commitments and policies into concrete actions, with the participation of governments, civil society, the private sector and young people themselves.
Basma Al Yafei, a youth mental health activist with UNICEF, also highlighted the importance of providing safe spaces for young people in schools, community centres, workplaces and digital platforms, pointing out that social stigma remains a major barrier to seeking mental health support, and that mental health must be given the same priority as education, healthcare and employment opportunities. The Summit will continue over two days with the broad participation of ministers of health, experts and specialists from around the world, with the aim of identifying innovative interventions to accelerate access to mental health services and enhance their quality through dialogue and cooperation among global stakeholders.