Ministry of Health: Mental health services for workers strengthen the economy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has highlighted the need to strengthen mental health services for workers, as this relates to occupational safety, staff retention, public service quality, and national productivity and economy. “International economic studies estimate that the economic burden of mental health is far greater when calculated using comprehensive methods. One study estimates the economic value of the mental health burden at $5 trillion in 2019,” said Director of Health Services for Vulnerable Groups at Kemenkes, dr. Imran Pambudi, in Jakarta on Tuesday. He noted that countries allocating more budget to mental health services show improvements in access and reductions in long-term burdens. Initial investment in mental health is an investment in productivity. However, he said, changes do not need to be large to be meaningful. He exemplified practical steps, starting from incorporating psychosocial screening into Occupational Safety and Health (K3) programmes, training managers to recognise signs of stress, expanding social security for informal workers, and implementing family-friendly policies, which are expected to lower the risk of mental disorders and increase productivity. Global data shows more than 1 billion people living with mental disorders and productivity losses reaching $1 trillion per year, while economic studies estimate the mental health economic burden at $5 trillion. In Indonesia, a national survey records around 6 percent of young people experiencing depression. “The WHO reports that mental conditions like depression and anxiety increased by more than 25 percent in the first year of the pandemic, adding to the burden on the global workforce,” he said. In the field, poor mental health conditions are evident. He exemplified that machine operators with severe depression are more prone to operational errors, nurses with burnout tend to make oversights in medication administration, and teachers with chronic anxiety lose the ability to manage classes, impacting students. “On the extreme side, suicides worldwide claimed around 727,000 lives in 2021, underscoring the most tragic consequences of untreated mental disorders,” he said. These figures are not mere statistics. According to him, they predict declines in productivity, rises in health service costs, and social burdens on families. When workers are mentally unhealthy, he said, the risk of accidents increases, absenteeism swells, and workforce retention declines. All of this impacts company competitiveness and economic stability. The WHO and global reports affirm the need to scale up mental health services to prevent greater losses. “Labour Day 2026 gives us an opportunity to redefine worker protection, not just physical safety and fair wages, but also mental health as the foundation of well-being,” he said. Integrating mental health services into employment and public health policies is not only ethical but also pragmatic and economical.