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Mental health should be a priority for WHO’s new director-general

Mental health plays a role in almost all of the world's unfolding health crises, so the WHO's new Director-General should make addressing it a priority.
A young woman and her mother in South Sudan's only hospital for treating mental health disorders. In that country and many others around the world, mental health care is the exception rather than the rule.

July 1 is a big day for the World Health Organization. That’s when Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus officially becomes the new director-general of this important global health body. In his acceptance speech, Tedros said, “All roads should lead to universal health coverage. I will not rest until we have met this.” Another of his top goals is putting the well-being of women, children, and adolescents at the center of the WHO’s work. I urge him to do that by making mental health a priority.

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