Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to provide support for improvements to mental health training for healthcare workers in low and middle income countries.

We align our support for health workers in low- and middle-income countries with priorities set by national governments, and the UK’s objective in strengthening local health systems. This includes working to improve the provision, equity and quality of mental health services and supporting the most marginalized to participate in decisions affecting their health. For example, in Ghana our Health Sector Support Programme has supported mental health systems strengthening and efforts to address underlying stigma and discrimination. Our funding for health partnerships between the UK and developing countries has scaled up peer support work in Uganda and delivered mental health training for maternity care providers in Nepal to improve mental health care.