Mariyam Sibghatullah, Program Manager Advocacy, co-chaired a session during the 3rd Global Mental Health Advocacy Forum as a member of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) working group of the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN).
A key takeaway of the session was the integration of mental health into non-health sectors & community-based initiatives, especially within the UHC framework. Panelist Ameh Zion Abba, founder of The Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria, highlighted that successful community health approaches are essential for achieving UHC. These approaches ensure mental health services are accessible, affordable, and culturally appropriate, particularly in the sub-Saharan region. Supabhorn Pengnonyang, the Program Manager for Institute of HIV Research & Innovation (IHRI) shared how the integration of basic mental health services in community-based HIV services has allowed early detection & prevention of mental illness in communities in Thailand.
Given the increased dependence on biomedical treatment models in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), it is imperative to emphasize the role of community-based initiatives in establishing alternative models of care that are accessible, equitable, and tailored to the specific needs of target populations.