'Invest on strengthening of mental health'

Karnali, March 26: Stakeholders including health experts have underlined the need of investment to strengthen mental health. The issues of mental health have emerged as global challenges of late, they argued.

During an interaction organized by the Ministry of Social Development in the province on 'Karnali Provincial Mental Health and Psychosocial Strategy and Action Plan 2079-2087' on Wednesday, they viewed the mental health had become a severe health problem, so it was essential to pay heed to it.

Chairperson of the Public Account Committee under the Provincial Assembly, Bindaman Bista, said the Karnali people were facing mental health problems due to economic constraints, lack of education, ill customs and paucity. The strategy must be enforced effectively along with government's investment in mental health. Provision of permanent psychosocial counselor is urgent, he stressed.

Chairperson of Province Affairs Committee, Kalyani Khadka, also underlined the need of effective implementation of the strategy that the province government prepared.

Chief Whip of CPN UML in the Province Assembly, Tekraj Pachhai, said a civilized and prosperous society is possible only with the guarantee of mentally healthy workforce. The health education can be catered together with health services, he suggested. 

Similarly, Minister for Social Development, Ghanashyam Bhandari, said the Karnali Province was the first to prepare such strategy and it was under implementation. 

Officiating secretary at the Ministry, Brish Bahadur Shahi, shared that the province government had focused on preparation of necessary workforce and management for smooth enforcement of the strategy.

Director at Mental Hospital, Lagankhel, Dr Anant Adhikari, appreciated the province government's initiative with the strategy formulation and its implementation so that it would help cope with mental health issues. Currently, 13 percent of the world population is battling the mental health problems. The life of persons suffering mental problems is cut short by 20 years, he added. 

Moreover, Technical Director at Mental Health and Counseling Centre Nepal, Dr Pashupati Mahat, suggested the Karnali Province government that it first ensured resources and mobilized workforce accordingly so that strategy would be materialized well. Country should be free of people with despair and dejection, he added.

Other speakers said multi-sectoral and multi-lateral cooperation were essential to tackle this severe challenge of present time- the mental health. (RSS)