Revolutionizing Community Mental Health Services in WHO South-East Asia Region: The Paro Declaration and the 2023-2030 Mental Health Action Plan

In 2022, the Member States of WHO South-East Asia Region committed to promoting and facilitating access to community-based mental health services. This was achieved through the adoption of the Paro Declaration on universal access to people-centred mental health care and services. Following this declaration, the Mental health action plan for the WHO South-East Asia Region 2023–2030 was introduced.

The action plan has four main objectives, with Objective 2 focusing on providing comprehensive, integrated, and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings. To achieve this objective, an extensive menu of options is provided to expand and strengthen community-based mental health services in WHO South-East Asia Region Member States.

Under Objective 2, there are several indicators included to track the progress of the expansion of community-based mental health services. These indicators include the number of community-based mental health centres that provide care and support options for people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities in the community, such as day care centres and rehabilitation centres. Other indicators include the proportion of general hospitals with mental health units and the number of supported living facilities, including both long and short-stay options.

Overall, the Mental Health Action Plan for WHO South-East Asia Region 2023–2030 is an important step towards improving access to mental health services in communities across the region. With a focus on comprehensive care and social support, this action plan has the potential to make a significant difference in people’s lives by ensuring that they receive timely help when they need it most.