A newly released public report brings fresh data - and a wake-up call - on the hidden costs and opportunities linked to mental health. The report reaffirms a critical truth: mental health is not just a health issue, but also an economic one.
In Kyrgyzstan, mental health and related conditions – including depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, substance use disorders and suicide - are estimated to cost the country 0.4% of its GDP. Notably, over 90% of the estimated economic burden stems from indirect costs - lost productivity and a shrinking workforce - with nearly half linked to absenteeism.
It’s a classic case of the vicious cycle, where lack of prevention and poor management of mental health conditions feed into a downward socioeconomic spiral. As highlighted in the report, the bidirectional relationship between socioeconomic status and mental well-being creates a self-reinforcing loop: greater vulnerability leads to economic strain, which further fuels health system pressure and has ripple effects across other sectors.
But there’s good news: this cycle can be broken.
“Investing in mental health isn’t just the right thing to do to improve Kyrgyz people’s well-being, but also makes good economic sense” said Dr Dan Chisholm, Mental Health Specialist at the World Health Organization, during the data collection mission in Bishkek. “It is well-established that, when countries pursue a mental health in all policies approach, they can not only improve lives but also livelihoods and enhanced productivity”.
In fact, the investment case shows that strategic investments in cost-effective mental health policies and interventions can slow - or even reverse - the trend. The report spells it out clearly: targeted efforts in six priority mental health areas can yield impressive returns. Top solutions? Interventions for alcohol use disorder (returning 9.40 som for every 1 spent), depression (8.80), and epilepsy (8.60).
And early prevention? Still a best practice. Universal, school-based emotional learning programs to tackle anxiety, depression, and suicide deliver returns of 4.50 for every som invested.
Kyrgyzstan is now gearing up to launch the investment case at national level and begin rolling out the report’s recommendations. As Dr. Nurgul Ibraeva, Head of the Department of Organization of Medical Care and Medicines Policy at the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan, emphasizes: “Mental health is a fundamental part of overall wellbeing. Investing in mental health services, raising awareness, and reducing stigma are essential steps to ensure that every person in Kyrgyzstan can lead a healthy and fulfilling life”.
Stay tuned for updates on this ambitious public health journey. You can access the full report here.
