Almost 3 years into the deadly coronavirus pandemic, depression among children and young people has reportedly worsened, with on average 50-60% of young people living in sub-Saharan Africa experiencing negative feelings and poor well-being since the pandemic took hold in the region.
This is according to UNICEF's "State of the World's Children" report issued on October 5, which has called the impact of Covid-19 on mental health in children and young people the "tip of the iceberg".
This report comes 5 days before World Mental Health Day on October 10, a day that provides an opportunity for all working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation, the overall objective of the day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
According to the latest data from UNICEF, globally, at least 1 in 7 children has been directly affected by lockdowns, while more than 1.6 billion children have suffered some loss of education.
The report calls for commitment, communication and action as part of a comprehensive approach to promote good mental health for every child, protect vulnerable children and care for children facing the greatest challenges.
It further calls for urgent investment in child and adolescent mental health across sectors, not just in health, to support a whole-of-society approach to prevention, promotion and care.
Powerful emotions like uncertainty, loneliness and grief have enveloped the lives of many millions of children, young people and families. Children and young people could feel the impact of Covid-19 on their mental health and well-being for many years to come, according to the report.
The report says governments and societies are investing far too little in promoting, protecting and caring for the mental health of children, young people and their caregivers.
UNICEF says in 2020 it reached 47.2 million children, adolescents and caregivers with community-based mental health and psychosocial support, including targeted community awareness campaigns in 116 countries- almost twice as many countries as in 2019.
