Health Ministers’ Round Table (Last Updated On: ) Health Ministers’ Round Table Left to right: Eva Gonzalez, WFMH Board member, Philippines; Kenneth Fung, Secretary Treasurer of the World Assembly for Mental Health, Canada; Azrul Azwar, Deputy Minister of Health, Indonesia; and Kunihiko Asai, former WFMH Board member, Japan. During the World Assembly for Mental Health in Vancouver, a separate meeting of Ministers of Health and their representatives took place to enable them to exchange information about national mental health policies and requirements. This meeting, convened on 23 July by Prof. Chunilal Roy and chaired by Gulzar Cheema, British Columbia’s new Minister of State for Mental Health, included John Kristjansson, Health Minister of Iceland; Mary Hanafin, Minister of State for Ireland’s Department of Health and Children; Azrul Azwar, Indonesia’s Director General of Community Health; Zombre Sosthene, Burkina Faso’s Director General of Health Services; and Ziu-Fen Zhang, a senior representative of China’s Health Ministry. Also present were Robert McMurtry, Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Health, and John Bowis, a member of the European parliament who was formerly Minister of State for Health in the U.K. The Board members of WFMH and the Canadian Mental Health Association were invited to participate. Ling Zhi Kong, Minister of Community Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of China. The Health Ministry speakers gave brief descriptions of their national goals and shortcomings in mental health policies which highlighted some similar concerns and common policy directions, together with very sharp variations in the resources available. Interestingly, the speakers from Canada and China both referred to evidence of growing problems among children and the elderly. The speakers from Ireland, England and Indonesia all spoke about community care, although Indonesia is only beginning a move in this direction. Some of those present emphasized the importance of promotion and prevention. However the speakers from China, Indonesia and Burkina Faso frankly addressed lack of awareness about mental health in their countries, the gap between needs and means (especially in rural areas), and the lack of training programs and professionals. In Indonesia stigma is high, and many people still believe that the supernatural plays a role in mental illness. Zombre Sosthene, Director General of Health Services, Burkina Faso Dr. Zombre Sosthene of Burkina Faso gave a striking speech in French, with translation, about the challenge facing an African country with few resources. In its largely rural population illnesses from infectious diseases and parasites are so prevalent that “mental health is an afterthought.” Nevertheless, despite its economic difficulties the government started an awareness campaign three years ago. The country now has a national plan for mental health which will run, with a small budget, from 2001 to 2005. After the presentations about individual countries there was a general discussion covering issues such as quality of life, consumer participation, human rights, and the importance of shaping research to make it relevant across communities and cultures.