From L-R: Dr Lisa Indar – CARPHA Executive Director; Dr Jerome Walcott – Minister of Health and Wellness Barbados; Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas – Assistant Director PAHO; Dr Kenneth George – Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness Barbados
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has brought attention to what has been described as “an urgent but often overlooked challenge of our time” at its 69th Annual Health Research Conference – Mental Health: The Hidden Pandemic held from May 7-9, 2025 in Barbados.
In a release, CARPHA said “mental health is a key aspect of our health and well-being and studies have shown that mental disorders can reduce life expectancy by 10 to 20 years”.
In her remarks at the opening session of the three-day Health Research Conference, Dr Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA stated: “Depression and anxiety disorders account for nearly 50% of the disability-adjusted life years in our Region, with approximately 1 in 4 adults experiencing a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetime”.
This was corroborated by Dr. Jerome Walcott, Minister of Health and Wellness of Barbados who revealed that, “Around 15% of disabilities in Barbados are linked to mental health conditions”.
Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) pointed out that “the COVID-19 pandemic amplified mental health challenges, even in previously unaffected populations, resulting in a 35% increase in major depressive disorders and a 32% increase in anxiety disorders in 2020”.
Young people are also severely affected by this growing issue. Dr. Indar emphasised that “Mental health is not a side issue. It is not an afterthought. It is central to the health of our societies”. She added, “Most troubling is emerging data reporting that Caribbean adolescents experience rates of depression approximately 15% higher than the global average, with contributing factors including academic pressure, exposure to violence, and limited youth-focused mental health resources”.
Dr Sealey-Thomas revealed that, “The Caribbean ranks among those with the highest suicide rates worldwide, claiming the lives of more than 100,000 people each year”.
Despite this heavy burden, it is reported that over 70% of people who need mental health care in this region, do not receive it.
“The greatest obstacle we face is stigma; it keeps too many of us silent. It delays treatment, deepens suffering, and, in its most devastating form, leads to preventable loss of life,” Dr Jerome Walcott explained.
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