Fourth Quarter 2001 Newsletter (Last Updated On: ) Africa WHO’s World Health Report was launched in Africa at an event in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 23 October attended by Benedetto Saraceno, M.D., Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence at WHO, Mary Petevi, Advisor in the Department of Humanitarian Action, and Dr. Custodia Mandlhate, Regional Adviser for Mental Health. This was followed on 24-26 October by the Third Inter-Country Meeting on Community-based Psychosocial Rehabilitation Programs in Emergency Situations. WFMH’s Regional Vice President for Africa, Elizabeth Matare, gave the opening address at the conference. Europe Mental Health Europe The next annual conference of MHE will be held in Tallinn, Estonia, on 7-9 November 2002. The theme of the meeting is “Policy Developments and Strategies in Mental Health.” MHE’s next General Assembly will be held in Brussels on 9 March. Board meetings will be held in March in Brussels, in June in Spain, and in November in Tallinn. MHE has issued a six-page brochure called “Social Inclusion – A Challenge for the European Union!” The brochure contains specific, concise guidelines for policy-makers and service providers to improve the social inclusion of people with mental health problems. The attention of policy-makers is directed to employment, education and training, welfare benefits, family life issues, human rights and housing. Matters for consideration by service providers include access to treatment, housing issues, confidentiality of personal data, and the need for public education. This should include employers, the media, and even health and social workers. The brochure is available from: Mental Health Europe 7 boulevard Clovis B-1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: 32 2 280 04 68 Fax: 32 2 280 16 04 Email: [email protected] At the end of a long period of information gathering, MHE has also produced a directory of projects concerned with “Mental Health Promotion of Adolescents and Young People.” This catalogues a wide range of initiatives in European Union countries to promote positive mental health and prevent mental illness among adolescents and young people up to the age of 25. To obtain the directory contact the project co-ordinator, Kirsten Zenzinger, at the MHE address above or [email protected] Conference in Israel WFMH is a cosponsor of the Second International Seminar on “Violence and Adolescence: Adolescent Violence in Violent Times,” to be held in Jerusalem, Israel, on 2-4 July 2002. For information contact the Seminar Secretariat: ISAS International Seminars P.O.Box 34001 Jerusalem 91340, Israel Email: [email protected] Southeast Asia Regina G. de Jesus (center), WFMH Regional Vice President for Southeast Asia, receives a Certificate of Appreciation as the Guest of Honor during World Mental Health Day celebration in Bacolod City on 10 October 2001 The Philippine Mental Health Association opened its 51st National Mental Health Week, and its observance of World Mental Health Day, on 8-9 October 2001 with a national conference on “Mental Health and Work.” The meeting took place in Bacalod City on the island of Negros. In addition to general workplace concerns the topics included child labor, life after work, and the workplace as a center of wellness. Special World Mental Health Day celebrations involving a number of private schools in Bacalod City were also arranged for 10 October. WFMH Regional Vice President for Southeast Asia, Regina de Jesus, was the guest speaker for the day’s program. South America En la Regi�n Andina, especialmente en Colombia, se ha logrado desarrollar actividades de Salud Mental, particularmente en los temas que afectan a los enfermos psiqui�tricos. La poblaci�n general de ese pa�s vive un stress permanente por motivos conocidos, los problemas de los secuestros, la lucha contra el narcotr�fico y las guerrillas est�n afectando m�s y m�s a la poblaci�n. La Asociaci�n Colombiana de Salud Mental realiza esfuerzos para desarrollar planes de prevenci�n y atenci�n al stress. En el Cono Sur de Sud Am�rica se han producido varias reuniones regionales sobre Salud Mental y Trabajo. La �ltima, realizada en diciembre en Montevideo, tuvo representantes de Argentina y Uruguay. Ya existen propuestas para un plan de trabajo para el a�o 2002 que incluyen una extensi�n a otros pa�ses. Se preve el fomento de la investigaci�n y tambi�n la cuantificaci�n de los costos por causas atribuibles a la p�rdida de la Salud Mental. La Federaci�n y la ILO est�n impulsando la sensibilizaci�n de los sindicatos, empleadores y los gobiernos. Necesitamos acumular informaci�n sobre la situaci�n de la Salud Mental y el Trabajo en los pa�ses de la regi�n. Por ello, agradecemos de antemano env�en a la Vice-Presidencia Regional la informaci�n disponible, en especial estudios y datos de lo que est� aconteciendo en los restantes pa�ses. En diciembre del 2001 se ha realizado una nueva reuni�n sobre Mass Media y Salud Mental. Esta fue coorganizada por varias Fundaciones de Argentina y Uruguay y convocada por la Secci�n correspondiente de la Asociaci�n Mundial de Psiquiatr�a (WPA) y nuestra Federaci�n. Fue un verdadero encuentro interdisciplinario, en el cual participaron profesionales de amplia diversidad, representantes de Facultades, de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) y de Uruguay. Es destacable que en ella participaron activamente empresarios de los medios de comunicaci�n y periodistas. Prof. Dr. Paulo Alterwain Vice-Presidente Regional para Sud Am�rica Western Pacific WHO Regional Meeting for the Wester Pacific, Brunei, 10-14 September; WFMH representative Kazuyoshi Yamamoto is second from right. A group of WFMH leaders met at the Asai Hospital in Chiba, Japan, on 4-5 November to discuss the development of regional activities. Honorary President Tsung-yi Lin attended, together with WFMH Regional Vice-President Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, former Board members Kunihiko Asai and Shimpei Inoue, and Board member-at-large Chueh Chang. The group intends to organize a WFMH Asia-Pacific symposium on mental health and human rights in conjunction with the World Psychiatric Association’s conference in Yokohama in August 2002. They also discussed progress towards the establishment of a Regional Council, which they hope can be inaugurated at the WFMH World Congress in Melbourne in February 2003. WFMH regional planning meeting in Chiba, Japan: (front row, left to right) Board member Chueh Chang, Honorary President Tsung-yi Lin, Mei Chen Lin; (back row, left to right) former Board member Kunihiko Asai, Regional Vice President Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, and former Board member Shimpei Inoue. Regional Vice-President Kazuyoshi Yamamoto attended the 52nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Brunei Darussalam on 10-14 September 2002, and read a statement on behalf of the Federation. Fourth Quarter 2001 Newsletter