On the occasion of the 10 October World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stresses the importance of mental health and its anchoring as a universal human right. The need to protect mental health in a global context has become the main theme this year, in view of the growing incidence of mental disorders, which was further highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The incidence of mental disorders has been increasing for a long time, this trend has been highlighted by a pandemic and is expected to continue. Psychiatric disorders and psychiatric care are an integral part of health care as it is in other areas of medicine. Nevertheless, in some aspects it is currently taboo and stigmatised.
Everyone has the right to protection of mental health. Freedom and independence are an important part of the lives of all people. People with mental disorders have the right to affordable, acceptable and quality care. They have the right to be fully integrated into the community. These fundamental principles are enshrined in legal instruments and international agreements, but even so, people with mental disorders continue to experience human rights violations worldwide. Many are excluded from community life and discriminated against, while others do not have access to mental health care, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
Otherwise, it is not in Slovakia either. We are living a difficult time, pandemic, war, current political and social situation at home and abroad. These events can have a serious impact on psychic survival and mental health of people in Slovakia and can manifest at the level of our whole society. It is therefore important that we reflect on how to improve the conditions for mental health care at national level and combat stigmatisation and discrimination of those suffering from mental disorders.
The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, together with the main expert of the MZ SR for the psychiatrist and president of the Slovak Psychiatric Society, stresses the need to do so not only in the framework of policy making, but also in the framework of public performances or in the exercise of his function, mandate or profession, in relation to persons with experience of mental disorder and also to health workers and other persons providing care for persons with experience of mental disorder.

Let us ensure that mental health is a universal human right that is respected and protected, not only today but also in the future.