H. E. Dr Teodros Adhanom, Federal Minister of Health, Ethiopia,
H.E. Wizero Azeb Mesfin, Member of the Parliament, Founder of the National Mental Health Initiative
Dear Wizero Yezabnesh Taddesse, Ethiopian Mental Health Society Founder and Board member
Dear Dr Yonas Bahir, Ethiopian Mental Health Society - Board president
Dear Dr Dawit Assefa, Chief Executive Officer OF Amanuel Mental Health Specialized Hospital
Dear all mental health work force members working in different level of the health system

Dear Distinguished Guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Today, we are celebrating World Mental Health Day 2012. The theme for this year is “Depression, a Global Crisis". This theme draws attention to the global burden of depression and the urgent need for its prevention and timely treatment of cases.

Depression is a serious and complex mental disorder that can affect anyone. It is one of the leading causes of disability and contributes significantly to the global burden of disease.

Depression can be prevented if emotional and behavioral problems are detected in childhood and adolescence. Abstaining from psychotropic substances and abuse of alcohol, maintaining proper diet and physical activity all improve wellbeing and therefore help prevent depression.

Recognizing the need for action to reduce the burden of depression including enhancing the capacity of countries in this area, WHO developed and made available guidelines and tools for responding to this growing problem.

In 2008, WHO launched the mental health Global Action Programme that focuses on advocacy, initiatives and guidance for improving health care delivery for people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders.

Depression is one of the priority conditions of the programme being implemented in four countries in the African Region including Ethiopia.

For its part, WHO as a prominent partner of MoH in improving mental health services in Ethiopia, we will continue our commitments to supporting the mhGAP program in Ethiopia to address this important public health problem in addition to the technical and financial support we are providing to the psychiatric nursing program of Amanuel Mental Health Hospital.

I would like to underline and greatly appreciate the mental health work force at all levels of the health system for their day to day unreserved effort in providing care and support for those who need the support – this is a great wisdom for health workers to take care of patients with mental illness.

In addition I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely express my gratitude to family members of mental ill patients for their great support to the patients who need their love and support.

Dear Ladies and gentlemen

As we commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day, on behalf of the WHO country office Ethiopia, I would like to recognize Her Excellency Wizero Azeb Mesfin - for her unreserved and exceptional contribution in improving and promoting mental health service in Ethiopia.

Finally, please allow me to deliver the award and certification of recognition to Her Excellency Wizero Azeb Mesfin.

There is no health without mental health

I thank you very much

Amessegenalhu!