Crisis of Mental Health Professionals in the World

In the US, there are around 45,000 psychiatrists for all 333 million Americans, which translates to about 135 psychiatrist for every million people, and it is not enough. As experts recommend, it is important to continue warning about the state of mental health in the world.

Unfortunately, however, in poor countries like Zimbabwe, with a population of 15 million, that has only 19 psychiatrists; or Ghana, a nation of 32 million people, that has only 62 psychiatrists, people are forced to seek alternative non-professional solutions or suffer in silence.

“Today, that problem is aggravated by a major brain drain: The few who do train in psychiatry tend to move to richer nations offering them a more comfortable life.”

Vikram Patel, psychiatrist and professor of global health at Harvard Medical School.

Sigal Samuel  | THE HIGHLIGHT VY BOX

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