TikTok Collaborates With WHO In Launching Mental Health Program

The launch of the TikTok Mental Health Program (photo: Rana/VOI)

JAKARTA Last September, TikTok announced its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) globally. Now, the platform is expanding its partnership with WHO in Indonesia.

TikTok Indonesia Communications Director, Anggini Setiawan, said that mental health problems had increased significantly. According to data from the National Adolescent Mental Health Survey Indonesia (I-NAMHS), 1 in 3 teenagers also experienced this problem.

Based on current trends, many teenagers are self-diagnosing and this needs to be addressed. Therefore, TikTok is collaborating with WHO to provide the right information about mental health and provide a comfortable environment for the disease.

"We continue to work closely with the community, with the government, and also all of our partners around the world to jointly raise awareness and dedication to mental health," Anggini said in the Launch of the Mental Health Program on Thursday, November 14.

Through this collaboration, TikTok is committed to providing a secure digital space for teenagers and users from various generations who experience mental health problems. This platform strives to become an open and supportive platform on the issue.

Deputy Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Indonesia, Momoe Takeuchi, was also present at the launch of the program. In his remarks, Momoe explained that mental health disorders are very dangerous and detrimental to the country.

"We have WHO's ILO estimates that countries can lose about $1 trillion due to mental health problems in the workplace," Momoe said. "Social media (also) presents risks and opportunities for health in general."

Since last September, WHO has been trying to provide science-based health information to TikTok users. They also want to guide creators in spreading the right content and in accordance with digital health communication standards.

The collaboration between TikTok and WHO also includes the creation of reliable content from local creators on the Fides network, a community consisting of various health professionals with diverse backgrounds. The Fides creator will also fight mental health misinformation.

TikTok also introduced Mindful Makers, a program created to train creators on mental health issues. Through this program, all selected creators are expected to be able to share credible health content and information.

Agus Prasetyo, or who is familiarly called dr. Pras, is one of TikTok LIVE creators who actively educates his followers. According to him, TikTok is the right means for creators to spread useful information.

"TikTok can be used as a forum to voice the importance of mental health in addition to physical health. Both are important so that people or audiences who hear and see can understand more (about mental health issues)," Pras told VOI.