In early 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global recruitment for members of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use (STAG-MNS) for the term 2025-2027. The primary task of this group is to provide critical professional advice to the WHO Director-General, promoting the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders and substance abuse, and advancing the WHO’s progress towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). After a thorough selection and evaluation process, 20 experts from around the world were chosen to be part of STAG-MNS. On May 23rd, Professor ZHAO Min, the President of SMHC, was appointed as a member of this expert group, becoming the sole Chinese expert in the current STAG-MNS panel.

Professor ZHAO Min, as the President of the Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC), the National Center for Mental Disorders, and the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, boasts a strong academic background and extensive practical experience in the fields of mental health, brain health, neurology, and substance use. She has long been dedicated to clinical research and treatment of mental disorders and has achieved remarkable success in the international field of mental health. Under her leadership, SMHC has continuously advanced the development of mental health initiatives both domestically and internationally. Professor ZHAO has frequently been invited to participate in international academic conferences and has led and coordinated China’s field testing for the ICD-11 international field study and the FLII-11 project under the World Health Organization. She has shared China’s research findings and treatment experiences in mental health and brain health on multiple global platforms. Her appointment to the STAG-MNS is a high recognition of her longstanding contributions to the fields of mental health and brain health. Looking ahead, with China’s increasing engagement and active voice on the global stage, it is expected that the advancement of global mental health will be further promoted, fostering greater exchange and collaboration between China and the international community in the field of mental health, and driving the global mental health sector toward new heights.

Original Link: https://www.who.int/groups/strategic-and-technical-advisory-group-on-mental-health--brain-health-and-substance-use-%28stag-mns%29