15. The high prevalence, disability and growing costs of mental
disorders, taken together with the huge treatment gap
despite availability wof cost-effective treatments, form a
compelling case to reassess provision for mental health
care. WHO took up this challenge with the comprehensive
mental health action plan 2013–2020, which was adopted
by the World Health Assembly in 2013. The plan sets out
a new vision and goal for mental health to be articulated
through four objectives and six measurable global targets to
be achieved by 2020 (17).
16. In order to monitor progress in achieving these targets and
to monitor other critical aspects of mental health systems
development, a set of core mental health indicators was
developed. All countries in the Region completed the mental
health atlas 2014 questionnaire which is based on these
indicators and which will serve as the baseline for monitoring
progress towards meeting the targets of the global action
plan