ATHENS, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the mental health of citizens across the world, particularly vulnerable groups, and should be addressed with no delay as part of the recovery efforts, officials and experts said here Thursday at a forum organized by the Greek government and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The impact of the pandemic on mental health is not yet clear, but the crisis made clear that mental health issues can affect everyone and governments should seize the opportunity to improve policies and services, said Pim Cuijpers, co-chair of the WHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on the Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19 in the WHO European Region.

Mental disorders were already a big health challenge before the pandemic with 16 percent of the population in Europe suffering mostly from depression and anxiety, he added.

At the forum "Actions required to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and service delivery systems in the WHO European Region," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: "Mental health is of vital importance and should become a priority for all governments. Nobody should be left behind."

Konstantinos Fountoulakis, professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, presented the results of a recent global study which is indicative of the extent of the problem.

Thirty percent of the 55,589 respondents from 40 countries who participated in the survey reported intense stress or depression during the pandemic, almost a three-fold increase compared to the pre-pandemic period, explained Fountoulakis, also scientific director of the international research project carried out in collaboration with the World Psychiatric Association.

The pandemic and confinement measures that disrupted economic and social life triggered negative emotions, affecting especially people with pre-existing mental conditions and other high-risk groups.

After months of isolation amid lockdowns, 38 percent of people surveyed reported an increased need for communication and 26 percent an increased need for emotional support. Enditem

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