New assessment guidelines for measuring the overall impact of mental health problems in Latin America have served as a catalyst for countries to review their mental health policies. Latin American countries have taken various steps to address long-standing problems such as structural difficulties, s...carce financial and human resources, and social, political, and cultural obstacles in the implementation of mental health policies and legislation. These policy developments, however, have had uneven results. Policies must reflect the desire, determination, and commitment of policy-makers to take mental health seriously and look after people’s mental health needs. This paper describes the development of mental health policies in Latin American countries, focusing on published data in peer-reviewed journals, and legislative change and its implementation. It presents a brief history of mental health policy developments, and analyzes the basis and practicalities of current practice.
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ATLAS on substance use (2010) — Resources for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders
Accessed: 14.03.2019
Informal health workers are important care providers in the region and continue to be so during the current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak. Many are well respected and trusted members of the community who can mobilise large numbers of people for a particular activity and lend legitimacy to a par...ticular programme.
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In this paper, we review the most significant health and environmental facts and explain why — from a medical perspective — a proper understanding of what nuclear weapons will do invalidates all arguments for continued possession of these weapons and requires that they urgently be pro...hibited and eliminated as the only course of action commensurate with the existential danger they pose.
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The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) has compiled a selection of web pages and information sheets
on mental health and coping with the effects of COVID-19. These resources are a selection from key organizations
in the field. We will continue to update this list as new resources become ava...ilable.
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This manual describes some of the strategic, managerial, financial, technical and scientific aspects to be considered in establishing a national EQA programme for clinical laboratories and other testing services at all health care levels
Deeply concerned by the morbidity and mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the negative impacts on physical and mental health and social well-being, the negative impacts on economies and societies and the consequent exacerbation of inequalities within and between countries.