Centre for Global Mental Health celebrates 5th anniversary
Image: Data collectors going into the field to carry out child growth measures to look at the impact of maternal depression
On World Mental Health Day 2014, the Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH) is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Since its launch in 2009, the work of the CGMH has focused on generating knowledge about mental disorders, improving access to care, building capacity and engaging policy makers.
A world-leading centre fostering research and capacity building activities in policy, prevention, treatment and care in global mental health, the CGMH is collaboration between King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The work of the Centre takes place on a global scale, in diverse communities, and with people of all ages. For example, recent projects have included understanding the burden of mental illness among homeless people in Ethiopia and in people living with HIV in several low and middle income countries; evaluating the role of lay health workers in caring for people with schizophrenia in India; building research capacity in Zimbabwe and strengthening mental health systems in Nepal.
Through its collaborations with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and links with Ministries of Health across the world, the CGMH has a significant policy impact by helping develop, evaluate, and scale up promotion, prevention and treatment for mental disorders.
The Centre is engaged in over 40 research projects in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Professor Martin Prince, from the IoPPN Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London and joint Director of the CGMH, says: “To make a difference on the ground, we need to work with practitioners, governments, civil society and donors to ensure that the accumulating evidence for effective interventions is implemented in sustainable and scalable programmes. I’m delighted to be celebrating our five year anniversary, and look forward to seeing a real impact of our work with partners in countries where health systems are greatly under-resourced and populations underserved.”
Professor Martin Prince (King’s) and Professor Vikram Patel (LSHTM) are joint Directors of the CGMH, with Dr Melanie Abas (King’s) and Dr Mary DeSilva (LSHTM) as joint Deputy Directors.
The Centre is hosting a celebration event on Thursday 16th October open to all which includes a seminar entitled: Low prevalence, severe impact: what does global mental health have to offer to people living with psychosis?