Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Mental health challenges affected approximately 1 billion people worldwide, and by 2030 mental health was projected to become the world’s largest contributor to the global burden of disease. Governments made important commitments at the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental health, recognizing the need for stronger systems, greater investment, and meaningful engagement of people with lived experience. Turning these commitments into action requires a coordinated global effort.
This World Health Summit 2025 Global Health Lab session – co-hosted by the Wellcome Trust – explored how the global health community could implement the mental health commitments made at the High-Level Meeting. The session was moderated by Beth Thompson (Wellcome Trust). It focused on global priorities for mental health, gaps in access, and transformative approaches needed to strengthen care.
Speakers Mark van Ommeren (WHO), Misrak Makonnen (Amref Health Africa), Jérôme Weinbach (French Social Ministries), Mohammed Abdulaziz (Africa CDC), Dion Ras (IAYMH), and Lisa Indar (CARPHA) brought perspectives from policy, research, regional leadership, community engagement, and lived experience. They discussed research and policy gaps, opportunities for expanding access, and the changes required to implement mental health interventions effectively.
The session highlighted how inclusive, evidence-informed, and community-driven approaches could accelerate progress and empower countries to deliver stronger mental health systems.
The World Health Summit is the leading global platform bringing together science, politics, civil society, and the private sector to catalyze collaborative and innovative solutions for key health priorities. Learn more: worldhealthsummit.org
Mental health challenges affected approximately 1 billion people worldwide, and by 2030 mental health was projected to become the world’s largest contributor to the global burden of disease. Governments made important commitments at the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental health, recognizing the need for stronger systems, greater investment, and meaningful engagement of people with lived experience. Turning these commitments into action requires a coordinated global effort.
This World Health Summit 2025 Global Health Lab session – co-hosted by the Wellcome Trust – explored how the global health community could implement the mental health commitments made at the High-Level Meeting. The session was moderated by Beth Thompson (Wellcome Trust). It focused on global priorities for mental health, gaps in access, and transformative approaches needed to strengthen care.
Speakers Mark van Ommeren (WHO), Misrak Makonnen (Amref Health Africa), Jérôme Weinbach (French Social Ministries), Mohammed Abdulaziz (Africa CDC), Dion Ras (IAYMH), and Lisa Indar (CARPHA) brought perspectives from policy, research, regional leadership, community engagement, and lived experience. They discussed research and policy gaps, opportunities for expanding access, and the changes required to implement mental health interventions effectively.
The session highlighted how inclusive, evidence-informed, and community-driven approaches could accelerate progress and empower countries to deliver stronger mental health systems.
The World Health Summit is the leading global platform bringing together science, politics, civil society, and the private sector to catalyze collaborative and innovative solutions for key health priorities. Learn more: worldhealthsummit.org
