Alcohol use disorder is a global public health concern and national policies are often implemented to help control alcohol consumption and related consequences. Increasingly, many countries are resorting to transient (short-term) alcohol policies which are implemented for a restricted period of time as an action plan for particular events or health-related issues. The COVID-19 pandemic emphasised the need for rapid decision-making and short-term fast-acting policies. This paper discusses contexts in which these transient policies are used and highlights the need for impact measurement and global exchange of experiences. This is particularly important to avoid gaps that the global alcohol industry could utilise to expand its influence and market.

This article provides a narrative overview of the development of women’s mental health services in Qatar. The country has made notable advancements, driven by progressive health policies and a focus on gender-sensitive care. Key initiatives include the development of specialised services, the integration of mental health into primary care and the implementation of targeted training programmes for healthcare professionals. The establishment of a fellowship programme in women’s mental health and the incorporation of gender considerations into national clinical practice guidelines further underscore the country’s commitment. Addressing remaining gaps through innovation, inclusivity and collaboration will be vital to ensuring comprehensive mental healthcare for all women.

The Greek model of mental healthcare delivery in rural and remote low-resourced areas is based on Mobile Mental Health Units (MMHUs). MMHUs are low-cost, interdisciplinary, generic community psychiatric services that collaborate closely with the primary healthcare system and local social services. MMHUs may be effective in the treatment of patients with severe and persistent mental illness and cost-effective in the treatment of patients with common mental disorders. The Council of Europe categorised this model as an effective community-based initiative. Major challenges derive from the difficulties MMHUs run by public general hospitals face in recruiting and retaining personnel.

The authors describe an international project to improve quality of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) provision in a low- to middle-income territory. Shortcomings in professional training and delivery of clinical care had been identified, including staffing limitations, outdated ECT machines and use of unmodified treatment. The UK Royal College of Psychiatrists, the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Palestinian Ministry of Health collaborated to provide new equipment, deliver specialist training and develop a modern service protocol. The resulting improvements, such as the introduction of electroencephalogram monitoring and stimulus dosing, are detailed, along with obstacles encountered, lessons learnt from the project and aspirations for the future.

Despite worldwide uptake, there has been little published evaluation of actually delivering the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) in typical low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper aims to evaluate the impact of a pilot study in which mhGAP guidelines for mental health sensitisation of community leaders were implemented in 1-day training events across 25 urban and rural health facilities (n = 1004 community leaders) in Uganda. A multiple choice mental health questionnaire was used to assess the community leaders’ mental health knowledge before and after completing the training. Training was evaluated across multiple sites and qualitative feedback comments were used to identify key themes on the impact of the training. The sensitisation training was found to be affordable, accessible and effective, and could be replicated in other LMICs and settings with local adaptations.

In recent years, the Sultanate of Oman has made strides in telehealth services to improve healthcare access for underserved patients, specifically through telephone consultations and digital appointment scheduling. However, the lack of technological infrastructure, insufficient training for healthcare providers and the absence of a unified digital system limit its full potential. As a result, patients in remote areas experience delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Colombia’s armed conflict has deeply impacted women’s mental health, particularly in rural and marginalised areas, where violence has become normalised. Despite legal recognition of mental health as a right, access to care remains limited due to geographic, cultural, systemic and security barriers. Mental health programmes lack continuity and funding, while professional training, availability and research in trauma-informed care are still insufficient. Institutional mistrust and ongoing threats further silence women’s suffering. This paper describes the current state of mental health services for women affected by armed conflict in Colombia and reflects on the persistent challenges.

Over the last decade in the UK the number of medically trained addiction specialists has halved, to record low numbers. Despite acknowledgment of this crisis by the UK Government in its recently published 10-Year Strategic Plan for the Addiction and Recovery Workforce, psychiatric training remains the only available route to gain specialist medical accreditation in the treatment of addiction disorders. This article asks if it is time for the UK to embrace the creation of a new physician-led addiction medicine specialty akin to models developed in Australia and other peer countries.

It is estimated that, worldwide, a new case of dementia develops every 3 s. Around 60% of cases occur in low- and middle-income countries such as Egypt, with this number expected to rise to 71% in the next 25 years. Egypt is the most populous Arabic-speaking country, containing one-quarter of the world’s Arab population. However, a majority of tools for assessing cognitive impairment have not been standardised, normed and validated according to International Test Commission guidelines, nor have they been culturally adapted, for the Egyptian population. We gathered insight from doctors and clinicians practising in Egypt to learn how they assess patients suspected of cognitive impairment. The majority reported that they used Western-made screening tools (e.g. the Montreal Cognitive Assessment), but were overwhelmingly of the view that such assessments should be standardised and adapted for Egyptians. This lack of consistent standards can lead to misclassification of cases in this lower middle-income country.

This paper describes recent developments in mental healthcare for women in Ireland and sets them in their historical context. The treatment of women’s mental health in the Republic of Ireland has evolved drastically since the 19th century, when institutions such as ‘lunatic asylums’ and Magdalene Laundries were commonplace. With deinstitutionalisation in the late 20th century, services adapted to community models, though these have remained underfunded. Recent years have witnessed dramatic developments in female-specific services and policies. Despite this progress, unmet needs remain in eating disorders, mental health support for pregnancy loss, infertility and embedding trauma-informed care.

Consistent with many countries in the region, the Republic of Guatemala likely has a high level of mental health need. However, with high poverty rates and workforce deficits, Guatemala faces challenges in providing accessible mental healthcare across the nation. We describe examples of interventions that have been developed to reduce this mental health gap by addressing the existing barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Within this country profile, we identify further opportunities, such as future mental health legislation, to improve access to services across the human lifespan, especially for at-risk and underserved communities.