{
  "id": 16636473,
  "title": "OP-ED: Why SA must invest in young people’s mental health sooner rather than later",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/op-ed-why-sa-must-invest-in-young-peoples-mental-health-sooner-rather",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-26T18:02:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-26-why-sa-must-invest-in-young-peoples-mental-health-sooner-rather-than-later/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The article highlights the urgent need for South Africa to invest in young people's mental health, emphasizing that delaying accessible and preventative support can lead to significant costs across various aspects of society. According to a report commissioned by the national Department of Health, unaddressed mental, neurological, and substance-use conditions could cost around 4% of GDP annually, while current public spending on mental health is only about 5% of the public health budget. The article argues that investing in mental health during adolescence, a critical period of identity formation, relationship-building, and decision-making, would yield substantial benefits, as the cost of treating deteriorated mental health is far higher. The report also underscores the importance of early intervention, noting that many young people who need mental health care do not receive it, leading to disrupted education, unemployment, violence exposure, family strain, reduced productivity, and narrowed prospects.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}