Historic UN declaration supporting mental health – treatment to be given similar priority to chronic diseases
pharmafile | January 30, 2026 | Feature | Medical Communications | United Nations, WHO, healthcare access, mental health, noncommunicable diseases, primary care
The 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted the political declaration to combat mental health challenges and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through a fully integrated approach.
The declaration, Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-Being, aims to elevate mental health to the same level of priority as chronic physical conditions.
Marking a significant evolution from previous commitments, the new political declaration establishes three first-ever global ‘fast-track’ outcome targets to be achieved by 2030:
- 150 million more people with access to mental health care
- 150 million more people with hypertension under control
- 150 million fewer tobacco users.
To ensure countries can reach these goals, the declaration also sets ambitious, measurable process targets for national systems by 2030, including:
- at least 80% of countries should have policy, legislative, regulatory and fiscal measures in place
- at least 80% of primary healthcare facilities should have access to affordable, WHO-recommended essential medicines and basic technologies for mental health and NCDs
- at least 60% of countries should have implemented financial protection policies or measures that cover or limit the cost of essential mental health and NCD services
- at least 80% of countries should have operational, multisectoral national plans for mental health and NCDs
- at least 80% of countries should have robust surveillance and monitoring systems for mental health and NCDs.
“The adoption of these bold targets to control noncommunicable diseases and promote mental health is a testament to the commitment of member states to protect the health of their people,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Together, we can change the trajectory of NCDs and mental health, and deliver health, well-being and opportunity for all.”
However, challenges around access persist, despite the declaration’s ambitions. Research from WHO and JAMA Psychiatry estimates that, while one billion people live with mental health conditions globally, only around 7% receive effective treatment. Long waiting times and overprescription of medication remain key barriers.
“Outdated health systems have spent decades treating mental health problems as an afterthought, yet they worsen conditions like diabetes, cancer and heart disease every minute,” said Hannah Nearney, clinical psychiatrist and UK Medical Director at Flow Neuroscience. “Mental illness reduces a person’s ability to take good care of their physical health and affects sleep, immunity and stress hormones, making the body less able to fight chronic disease. Why it isn’t treated as urgently as physical illness is only a rhetorical question.”
“When a patient walks into a GP’s office, their mental health should be managed with the same urgency as blood pressure or temperature,” said Kultar Singh Garcha, NHS GP and Global Medical Director at Flow Neuroscience. “The main problem isn’t awareness, it’s accessibility. Treatments exist, but too few are scalable or visible to frontline doctors.
“Imagine waiting months for an appointment, and after ten minutes you leave with another prescription to add to your list. Patients managing chronic disease already take multiple drugs and we need options that don’t add to that burden. We also don’t need those extra side effects that often come with antidepressants.”
Brain stimulation can reduce the patient burden during treatment as it can be conducted at home and non-invasively, being remotely prescribed and monitored by clinicians. Flow Neuroscience reported that, in a previous NHS pilot study, patients saw a 71% reduction in symptoms of depression when using brain stimulation.
“We saw firsthand that what we need already exists, but unfortunately, it’s only at some clinics in the UK at this point. While more countries are adopting this, the issue is that even some clinicians are not aware solutions exist. Integrated into primary care, these at-home treatments make mental health care more accessible and affordable,” said Garcha. “They reduce waiting times, free up clinicians and help patients get relief sooner, before symptoms escalate into crisis care.”
These novel treatments also have their issues of accessibility and availability, as their efficacy and safety may not yet be wholly clinically proven, or they may not be reimbursable or available through public health systems. Increased regulatory support will be required to encourage the adoption and usage of these technologies, the clinicians suggested.
Even so, the UN’s declaration signals a significant shift in how the healthcare and life sciences sectors approach mental health.
“The overwhelming support [of the UN declaration] signals the end of the idea that mental health comes second,” concluded Nearney. “The next step, which is already here, is building real access. Recovery in any chronic disease starts with a healthy brain.”
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