Abstract
Background
There is a large treatment gap for mental, neurological or substance use (MNS) disorders. The 'Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)' (Emerald) research programme attempted to identify strategies to work towards reducing this gap through the strengthening of mental health systems.
Aims
To provide a set of proposed recommendations for mental health system strengthening in LMICs.
Method
The Emerald programme was implemented in six LMICs in Africa and Asia (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda) over a 5-year period (2012-2017), and aimed to improve mental health outcomes in the six countries by building capacity and generating evidence to enhance health system strengthening.
Results
Me proposed recommendations align closely with the World Health Organization's key health system strengthening 'building blocks' of governance, financing, human resource development, service provision and information systems; knowledge transfer is included as an additional cross-cutting component. Specific recommendations are made in the paper for each of these building blocks based on the body of data that were collected and analysed during Emerald.
Conclusions
These recommendations are relevant not only to the six countries in which their evidential basis was generated, but to other LMICs as well; they may also be generalisable to other non-communicable diseases beyond MNS disorders.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 73 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-5 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Bjpsych open |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 6 Aug 2019 |
Keywords
- Global mental health
- health systems
- health system strengthening
- healthcare delivery
- DISORDERS
- COVERAGE
- ANXIETY
- PEOPLE