Brussels, 02/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - To mark Labour Day on 1 May, the European Depression Association launched a wide campaign to make the fight against depression a priority of the European Union. With a view to this, EDA has sent an open letter calling on MEPs and the political decision-makers of Europe to make the fight against depression a stand-alone condition, and to prioritise it in all policies impacting upon workers, in particular in the forthcoming EU Strategy on Health and Safety at Work (2013-2020). In June, EDA will hold a round table, to be attended by representatives of the European Commission, MEPs and partners of civil society, with the aim of moving forward discussions between now and 1 October, European Depression Day - a key milestone of the campaign. Amelia Mustapha, project leader, said: “There is an urgent need for coordinated action against depression at work. This Labour Day Open letter is only the first step of our campaign; we will work hand-in-hand with MEPs, policy-makers, patient groups and medical experts to come up swiftly with a too-long-awaited policy answer. More than ever, the impact of depression on our society has to be addressed.”
Depression is a mood disorder which prevents individual from carrying out daily tasks, including going to work or school. The most common symptoms are lack of attention, memory losses and difficulty making decisions. Without appropriate treatment, the symptoms may last for weeks, months, or even years. People suffering from depression are also frequently stigmatised. It is the mental disorder most commonly found in active patients and 11% of European citizens will suffer from depression at some point in their lives. These problems brought a cost to the social security services of €113.4 billion in 2010, but the consequences have by no means been fully evaluated. Vincenzo Costigliola, the head of EDA, said: “With 20 million Europeans of working age suffering from depression, a major economic crisis to overcome and the demographic challenge ahead, fighting depression at work is more important than ever. Today we are calling EU policymakers to show their support and commitment to come up with an immediate, comprehensive and integrated solution at an EU policy level to this modern-day scourge.” (IL/transl.fl)