A conference in India focused on raising awareness about depression. The conference was held on World Health Day, and was joined by World Health Organization representative to India Dr. Henk Bekedam.
Bekedam stressed the importance on decreasing the stigma of the illness and aiding people in having access to treatment.
Bekedam also spoke about the number of people afflicted.
“It is something which is very prevalent. Between 4 to 5 percent of the global population, over 300 million people, are depressed. That [includes] globally and here also in India. But it is also troubling that over the last 10 years it has increased by 20 percent.”