The World Health Organization, in its joint session with the Office of Drugs and Crime, the European Union, and Japan, discussed the psychological consequences of drug use, stating that half of Afghanistan’s population is struggling with mental distress, which has significantly impacted their quality of life. Hanan Balkhi, the regional director of the World Health […]
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The World Health Organization, in its joint session with the Office of Drugs and Crime, the European Union, and Japan, discussed the psychological consequences of drug use, stating that half of Afghanistan’s population is struggling with mental distress, which has significantly impacted their quality of life.
Hanan Balkhi, the regional director of the World Health Organization, stated at this session titled “Deepening Crisis: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Paralyzing Afghan Society,” held in Vienna, that 50% of Afghanistan’s population is experiencing various forms of mental distress.
While she didn’t elaborate on the statistics regarding mental health issues, she emphasized that these conditions have affected the quality of life, rendering individuals more vulnerable to drug use.
The session emphasized the need for effective solutions to reduce the consequences of drug use. Raffaella Iodice, the acting head of the European Union delegation in Afghanistan, stressed the importance of investing in global and Afghan mental health and substance use disorder initiatives as a shared responsibility of the global community.
Meanwhile, according to the latest Gallup research findings, Afghanistan has been rated as the unhappiest country for several consecutive years, with significant portions of the population expressing dissatisfaction with life in Afghanistan. A similar report from the “World Happiness Center” indicates that Afghanistan has ranked at the bottom of the list for the fifth consecutive year in terms of happiness.
Unemployment, political instability, decades of bloody wars, gender discrimination, poverty, environmental conditions, and low literacy rates are cited as major reasons for the Afghan people’s failure to build satisfying and joyful lives.
However, there is still a lack of responsive and executable plans to improve people’s quality of life and reduce the destructive consequences of drug use. The World Health Organization, in its session, emphasized the need for prioritizing sustainable budget allocation for combating drug use and implementing mental health programs in Afghanistan.
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