Dear Friends,
Recent research has shown clearly how serious it is to neglect mental healthin the workplace.
Job burnout is costing nations billions of dollars, according to resultspresented at the conference and Symposium held at the ILO on 9-10 October.Two major UN agencies, the ILO and WHO, supported the Symposium. MentalHealth professionals, together with representatives of major industrialcorporations, advocacy groups, researchers and the media acknowledged thefindings. These showed a need for standards for mental health in workplaceswhich should be implemented by any company which wants to expand globally.
Meanwhile, in many countries governments are restricting benefits fortreatment of mental illness. In other countries treatment programs have noteven been developed in primary health care or elsewhere. This leads to moredifficulties for those suffering from psychiatric disorders and stress.
We thank ILO Secretary General Juan Somavia, Derek Yach, M.D., WHO ExecutiveDirector, Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, and Barbara Murray,ILO Senior Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation, Employment Sector, fortheir input and dedication for mental health. We also thank our WFMH stafffor backing these activities, and World Strategic Partners for organizing anexcellent conference in Geneva. We appreciate the support of Pfizer forWFMH activities related to the events in Geneva.
Dr. Ahmed Abou El-Azayem
President, WFMH