How can the COVID-19 response advance global mental health?

The COVID-19 pandemic, a defining health event of our time, is bringing rapid changes to mental health care across the globe. Although there is extensive disruption to existing practices, the response to the pandemic is presenting opportunities for advancing the field of global mental health (GMH) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

GMH aims to address mental health challenges in the context of socio-economic adversity, social suffering and limited existing resources, primarily in LMICs (Becker & Kleinman, 2013; Patel & Prince, 2010). GMH integrates mental health into primary care, provides affordable and effective community-based care and strengthens the mental health training of all healthcare personnel. Task sharing, a key GMH strategy, trains laypersons and mid-level professionals to provide mental health services (World Health Organization, 2008). This is distinct from the specialist-based practice models which dominate mental health care in high-income countries, for those who can pay.