World Mental Health Day observed
World Mental Health Day was observed on Sunday with the country having only 130 psychiatrists and 10 psychologists caring for some 13.7 lakh people suffering from different mental health problems.
According to World Health Organisation Assessment Instrument for Mental Health System in Bangladesh, conducted in 2007, about 16 per cent people aged above 18 and about 26 per cent people aged below 18 are suffering from mental health diseases in the country.
The country has only one psychiatrist against 13,70,000 people while only ten psychologists available for counselling the patients across the country, the assessment revealed.
This year the theme of the day was ‘Mental Health and Chronic Physical Illness: The Need for Continuous and Integrated Care.
Different organisations, including rights organisations, chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day with a call for expediting the passage of the draft law on mental heath.
The rights activists also demanded that the government should make it public for holding elaborate discussion to make the law pro-people.
A study conducted by National Institute of Mental Health and World Health organisation in 2003-2005 showed that more than 16 per cent people aged above 18 were suffering from mental health diseases in the country.
It also showed that among the children and teenagers around 26 per cent were suffering form various mental health related problems including epilepsy and drug addiction.
The study estimated that one in four people globally in their lifetime would experience a mental health condition.
According to the study, women suffer more than men from mental heath diseases.
In observance of the day, National Mental Health Institute brought out a colourful procession from Shahbag to National Press Club and organised a discussion meeting at Bangladesh Medical Association auditorium in the city.
National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled formed a human chain in front of National Press Club in the city to mark the day and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister.
Department of Clinical Psychology of the University of Dhaka also brought out a procession from Shahbag to National Press Club to mark the day.
