The Federation enthusiastically supported
WHO’s World Health Day message in April on the need for more attention
to mental health within the context of primary health care, public
health policy and public education. WHO’s campaign continued throughout
the year, and references to related WFMH activities are noted in the
section on Regions. Ahmed El Azayem, President of WFMH until July 2001,
attended WHO’s launch event in Geneva on 6 April for the year’s international
program of mental health promotion. Immediately afterwards he returned
to Egypt, where WFMH’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Council joined
with WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office to present a conference
supporting the WHO campaign. The meeting was opened by Egypt’s Minister
of Health and Population, Dr. Ismail Salaam. The program generally
followed WHO’s emphasis on raising the standards of public health administration,
but some sections reflected Dr. El Azayem’s special concerns, such
as increasing attention to the mental health of infants by giving them
a caring start in life. The program also addressed specialized care
for older people. Participants came from Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia and Sudan, and WFMH was represented by Board members from Finland,
Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Later in the year the Federation’s regional
groups had opportunities to support the release in October of WHO’s
World Health Report, devoted
entirely to mental health. In Europe the WHO Regional Office
for Europe worked with Mental Health Europe (the European Regional
Council of
WFMH) to use World Mental Health Day on 10 October for
activities to mark the Report’s release. The WHO Regional Office
designated 10 October
as the official regional “launch” date, and arranged for key staff
members to attend events in several cities. MHE encouraged
its national member organizations to use the date to publicize the
release. The
Report had its African launch in Harare on 23 October,
and WFMH’s Regional Vice President for Africa, Elizabeth Matare, gave
the opening address
at the subsequent conference (24-26 October) on community-based
psychosocial rehabilitation programs after emergency situations. Three
WFMH Board
members, President Elect Patt Franciosi, Sylvia Caras and
John Copeland attended the Pan American Health Organization’s launch
of the Report
on 7 November, together with three staff members.
Regular contacts with WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance
Dependence, headed by Benedetto Saraceno, are facilitated by Stanislas
Flache, WFMH’s Permanent Representative in Geneva. Dr. Flache attended
the 2001 WHO Executive Board and Assembly meetings in Geneva as an
observer and was in frequent communication with the WHO Department
throughout the year. He also maintained contacts with the UN High Commission
on Human Rights, and with Geneva NGOs interested in mental health and
human rights.
