Close to one billion people have a mental disorder and anyone, anywhere, can be affected. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.

Globally, it is estimated that 5% of adults suffer from depression. Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experience a mental disorder. Half of all such disorders start by age 14 years but most are undetected and untreated.

People with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia tend to die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. One in every 100 deaths is by suicide. It is the fourth leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29 years.

Though the actual day for World Mental Health day falls on 10th October 2021, Zambia commemorated this year’s WMHD on 9th October 2021. VSI was among extraordinary youth organisations that took the advocacy matters on mental health to the streets of Lusaka, particularly, the Great East Road through Thabo Mbeki Road to Alick Nkhata Road. #WMHD2021#VSI#SenseOfDutywww.vsizambia.org

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NOTES:(See the all in one banner for the list of organizations that participated in today’s march past: https://www.facebook.com/447565192380250/posts/1309129732890454/)

Part of the text is extracted from the World Health Organization website: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/2021

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