Neglected Mental Health

The Kathmandu Post

16 July 2008

Neglected Mental Health

In  reference to the report on “Mental health neglected in Nepal” (14  July), I have a very painful experience as a voluntary working in mental  healthcare sector. I came to terms with the realities during my  voluntary involvement in a mental health program called “Chhahari Nepal”  where availability of program funds became an extremely frustrating  factor in spite of its tremendous effort of convincing national and  international funding agencies for the implementation of its mental  health program. 

None of the  funding agencies were found interested in addressing this acute problem  that has affected more than 20 percent of the population. The number of  mentally distressed people affected by the ten long years of  socio-political conflict and sever poverty has alarmingly increased in  the streets of Kathmandu and other major cities. Due to lack of proper  policy in the government’s health sector, they have been deprived of  rights of receiving proper treatments. The only Mental Hospital of the  country situated in Lalitpur district severely lack proper  infrastructures. None of the funding agencies involved in health  development program have shown their readiness to be involved in the  mental health program. 

If  the government continues to neglect this burning issue, the number of  mentally distressed people will continue to rise resulting in highly  vulnerable and marginalized communities that could severely affect the  socio- economic condition of the country. 

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

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