The WHO South-East Asia Region dashboard on mental, neurological, substance use and self-harm conditions (MNSS) was today launched to help accelerate and strengthen evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation of mental health services and policies. The launch comes at a time of rising mental health concerns underlying the urgency of data-driven responses.

“Today, multiple lines of evidence suggest a considerable increase in mental health issues among the general population and in vulnerable groups. This burden is often silent, but it is not abstract. It is a tangible experience lived by individuals, families, and communities. Our response must be equally tangible. It must be rooted in evidence and shaped by data. This is why the MNSS dashboard is so important,” said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region.

The launch was accompanied by a technical overview webinar for Member States to familiarize users with the dashboard’s structure, data sources, and practical applications enabling analysis of data disaggregated across countries by gender, age group and specific conditions.

An estimated 289 million people live with a mental, neurological or substance use condition in the WHO South-East Asia Region. Nearly 208 000 people are lost to suicide every year. In the Asia Pacific, 60% of the years lived with disability (YLDs) are due to depression, migraine, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Among children aged 5-14 years, more than 70% of the YLDs are due to migraine, anxiety disorders, autism, and Asperger’s syndrome. Epilepsy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias are among the top causes of disability due to neurological conditions.

Despite increasing recognition of the importance of mental health, limited epidemiological data have constrained efforts to accurately assess needs and plan services. The new dashboard addresses this gap, providing policy makers, researchers, public health professionals and stakeholders, the latest evidence to access, compare, and analyze data from depression and anxiety to epilepsy, substance abuse disorders and self-harm, thereby facilitating timely and targeted responses to improve mental health outcomes across the Region.

The dashboard builds on the findings of WHO’s 2023 Regional Report Mental Health Conditions in the WHO South-East Asia Region and contributes to the implementation of WHO South-East Asia Mental Health Action Plan 2023-2030, which prioritizes strengthening information systems, evidence, and research for mental health across the Region.

The dashboard’s launch also aligns with the commitments made by Member States in the Paro Declaration on Universal Access to People-Centred Mental Health Care and Services. The Declaration emphasized the urgent need to strengthen mental health data systems, promote evidence generation, and support countries in designing and scaling up compassionate, community-based services. This commitment is further reinforced by the Region’s Roadmap for Results and Resilience (2024-2029), which identifies mental health as one of the key priority areas for accelerating progress towards health for all in the Region.

“As we know, data alone is not enough – it must be followed by action. Therefore, I urge us all to promote this dashboard widely, and to ensure that the data drives decisions that improve lives,” said Dr Boehme.

WHO remains committed to supporting countries in building and strengthening mental health services, closing existing gaps in care, and enhancing preparedness for future challenges in the prevention and management of mental health conditions.

You can access the WHO South-East Asia Mental Health Dashboard here.