Pandemic, conflicts affect mental health of millions, says WHO

Copenhagen, May 5 (IANS): A senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have affected the mental health of millions of people.

“A pandemic has thrown an unprecedented spotlight on mental health. An armed conflict is profoundly affecting the mental health of millions of people,” Xinhua news agency quoted the WHO’s European Regional Director Hans Kluge as saying here.

More than two months of conflict in Ukraine has led to incalculable uncertainty, insecurity, grief and loss, said the WHO official.

He added that health care facilities in the country were damaged seriously, leaving thousands of people with no access to services.

Neighbouring countries to Ukraine are also experiencing a significant increase in demand for health services, including mental health services, as a result of the massive influx of refugees, he said.

The UN body also voiced its concern about the food crisis raging in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.