Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Affairs (rank of State Minister) Dr. SM Ziauddin Haider said, “Instead of relying only on medical services, mental health development should focus on reforming family, social and institutional structures.”
He said this while addressing the chief guest at a national consultation meeting on 'Civil Rights and Structural Reforms in Access to Mental Health Care in Bangladesh' at Reporters Unity in the capital on Sunday (June 7). The event was organized by Innovation for Wellbeing Foundation.
Dr. Ziauddin Haider said, “The improvement of mental health cannot be relied upon only on the medical system. For this, the institutional structure, social values ​​and family management must be reformed. If effective reforms are made in these areas, significant improvement of the mental health situation will be possible.”
He said, “The country's medical education is still being conducted in a very old fashioned way. The government is taking initiatives to change this situation. There is a plan to include mental health issues more seriously by reviewing the curriculum of all levels of medical education, not just the MBBS level.”
Highlighting the limitations of mental health care in the country, he said that currently only a few hospitals provide mental health care. The number of psychiatrists in the country is also inadequate, which is very less compared to the needs of the vast population.
Referring to the education system, he said, “It is important to ensure a happy and compassionate environment for children at the school level. Besides, it is also being considered to re-emphasize moral education and include it in the curriculum.”
“Family structures are weakening, which is compounding mental health problems. Therefore, it will be difficult to effectively address mental health crises unless families and communities are strengthened.”
Director General of the Department of Health Professor Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas said, “Nearly 90 percent of people suffering from mental illness in the country are out of treatment. Although it is necessary to detect and treat the disease at the initial stage, it is still not widely possible.”
He said, currently there are only 305 psychiatrists and about 500 psychologists in the country. It is almost impossible to provide mental healthcare to a large population with such limited manpower.
In the meeting, other mental health experts also discussed in detail the current crisis, challenges and possible actions of mental health care in Bangladesh.
