1.3 billion teens suffering mental disorders

23 September 2024 - At least one in seven youngsters has a mental disorder. That’s the warning from the UN World Health Organization (WHO), which has appealed for much greater investment to help almost 1.3 billion teenagers globally.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that failing to address the mental, sexual and reproductive health of adolescents will have “serious and life-threatening consequences for young people”. It will also come at a massive cost for society, which justifies a major public investment from governments worldwide.

Tedros noted that anaemia among adolescent girls remains “prevalent” and at levels similar to those in 2010, while close to one in 10 teenagers is obese.

STDs on the rise

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes that commonly occur among youth are on the rise too.

If left untreated, they could have “lifelong implications for health”, the WHO chief said, citing new data.

Tedros also spoke out against attempts to “roll back” young people’s access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and sex education in response to growing opposition to gender equality and human rights.

He said that any restrictive age of consent policies limit young people’s access to critical services, including those for sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

Adolescence is a unique and critical stage of human development, involving major physical, emotional and social transitions, and is a pivotal window for laying long-term foundations for good health, WHO notes.

“Promoting and protecting the health and rights of young people is essential to building a better future for our world,” said Tedros.

“Conversely, failing to address the health threats that adolescents face – some longstanding, some emerging – will not only have serious and life-threatening consequences for young people themselves, but will create spiraling economic costs.”

Gains are possible

The publication was launched at an event on the margins of the UN Summit of the Future.

“Adolescents are powerful and incredibly creative forces for good when they are able to shape the agenda for their wellbeing and their future,” said Rajat Khosla, executive director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, which co-hosted the launch.

“Leaders must listen to what young people want and ensure they are active partners and decision makers,” she added. – UN News