Put mental wellbeing in priority

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct. 11: Every year, October 10 is marked as the World Mental Health Day and this year, the day which fell on Monday was celebrated with the theme ‘Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority’.

Nepal also marked the day by organising several programmes at the federal, provincial and local levels. Its ‘World Mental Health Day 2079’ was held as part of the Ministry of Health and Population’s larger Nepal Mental Health Campaign which began last year.

Issuing a press release on Monday, the Ministry stated that this campaign was aimed at breaking the vicious cycle of superstitions, illusions, stigma and social abuse in the community about mental health and developing fact-based perceptions to prevent mental illness and help early detection and treatment of the conditions. 

As per the figures published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in June, one in every eight people suffers from an affliction related to mental health, a number that is higher in low- and middle-income countries.

In Nepal, the National Mental Health Survey conducted two years ago had shown that 10 per cent of people aged 18 and above experienced mental health problems in their lifetime – the condition exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in 6.5 per cent of adults experiencing suicidal thoughts.

When put in context, this paints a frightening picture of 18 people killing themselves in the country every single day. The data with the Nepal Police shows that 6,830 people committed suicide in the last fiscal year.

To curb this, the Health Ministry expanded the internal mental health service to a total of 130 beds at a rate of 10 beds in 13 government hospitals across the country last year. It has also partnered with private and non-governmental organisations for the treatment and rehabilitation of the disabled, helpless and homeless people suffering from mental health problems.

However, the lack of access to mental health services and confusion, superstition and stigma around psychiatric and psychological care deprive people of timely diagnosis and treatment. According to the Ministry, three out of four adults do not seek treatment for mental health problems in the country.