Youth mental health disorders has been reported by a United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) flagship report to have been resulting in the loss of over 30 billion US dollars each year in Latin America and the Caribbean region.
Jamaica has had a strong response to mental health issues in youth. Even with the wealth of programmes and free services available, there is still a need for more. This is according to Novia Condell, health specialist at UNICEF. She shares how inaction on mental health in Latin America and the Caribbean is costing the region 30 billion us dollars annually.
15 percent of children and adolescents in the region live with a diagnosed mental disorder which is higher than the global average of around 13 percent. The reason for this United Nations Children’s Fund finds to be the shame a young person may feel in seeking help.
Many children and youth have been stuck in abusive homes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, starved of social interaction and forming meaningful connections, this can lead to the development of mental disorders. Condell says Jamaicans should take the step to create safe spaces to nurture children’s mental health.
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