WPA Action Plan in Progress

Mario Maj

During the past few months, the WPA has started the implementation of all the items of its Action Plan 2008-2011. Let me list some of the activities which have been initiated:

• The first WPA International Call for Research Proposals. We have issued a call for research projects aimed to explore the factors facilitating and those hampering the choice of psychiatry as a career. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2009.
• The WPA Guidelines. We have appointed the Task Forces which will produce WPA Guidelines on: a) protection and promotion of mental health in children of persons with severe mental disorders; b) steps, obstacles and mistakes to avoid in the implementation of community mental health care; c) how to combat stigmatization of psychiatry and psychiatrists; d) mental health and mental health care in migrants.
• The programme of fellowships in collaboration with centers of excellence. We have launched a programme of fellowships for psychiatrists from low- and lower-middle income countries, in collaboration with five centers of excellence: the Western Psychiatric Institute, University of Pittsburgh, USA; the Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA; the Mood Disorders Program, University of Cleveland, USA; the University of Melbourne, Australia. The first call for applications, for a fellowship at the Pittsburgh University, has been just issued. The deadline for applications is June 30, 2009.
• The WHO-WPA Work Plan. We have finalized with the WHO leadership a work plan for the next triennium, including the following items: a) revision of the ICD-10 chapter on mental and behavioural disorders; b) collaboration in the mhGAP; c) partnership on mental health care in emergencies; d) collaboration in the area of substance abuse; e) partnership on involvement of users and carers. The text of the work plan is available on the WPA website. Within the frame of this work plan, the WHO and the WPA will organize in Geneva, from 27 to 31 July 2009, a training workshop on prevention and management of mental health consequences of disasters and conflicts.
• The WPA/Lancet Initiative on Continuum of Care for Mental Disorders. The WPA Zone Representatives and Member Societies are participating in a survey on the continuum of care for mental disorders in the various regions of the world, which is intended for publication in the Lancet.
• The WPA train-the-trainers programme for low-income countries. The first WPA train-the-trainers workshop took place in Ibadan, Nigeria, on January 26-30. A report is available on the WPA website.
• The first Call for Research Projects to be conducted by WPA Sections. We have issued the first call for research projects to be supported by the WPA and conducted by its Scientific Sections. The deadline for submissions is June 30, 2009.
• The series of reports on exemplary experiences in the mental health field. A first set of reports on exemplary experiences in the mental health field has been posted on the WPA website and published in World Psychiatry. Further reports are upcoming.
• The new editions of World Psychiatry. We have launched the Russian edition of World Psychiatry (electronic version). Selected articles from the journal are being published also in Polish, Romanian and Bosnian.
• The series of workshops on leadership and professional development of young psychiatrists. A workshop was held in Singapore on February 24-28. The next one will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, in October 2009.
• The organization of the Florence Congress. The WPA International Congress “Treatments in Psychiatry: A New Update” will take place in Florence on April 1-4, 2009. We will have more than 8,000 participants. During the Congress there will be a Special Workshop for WPA Member Societies and a WPA Forum.