Dhaka:State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, M A Muhit, announced the launch of a 'Community Mental Health' project aimed at providing mental health services directly to people at the grassroots level.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the government plans to implement this project as a pilot over the next one to one-and-a-half years, initially starting in 20 upazilas. The goal is to eventually expand the initiative to all 500 upazilas across the country, ensuring services are accessible, affordable, and inclusive.
Speaking as the chief guest at a mental health seminar at the Bangla Academy, Muhit highlighted the government's strategic roadmap for the health sector. Allocations have already been made in this year's national budget to operationalize these community mental health services.
Muhit noted that government-run mental health services have traditionally been limited to tertiary-level institutions like the National Institute of Mental Health in Dhaka. To address the shortage of trained personnel at the grassroots level, he proposed introducing vocational diploma courses in mental health, similar to diploma engineering programmes, to develop a dedicated workforce.
The minister also addressed the psychological trauma experienced over the past 15 years due to authoritarian suppression and the aftermath of the July mass uprising. He emphasized the need for structured psychosocial support to prevent unresolved trauma from affecting future generations.
Muhit concluded by calling for a change in societal attitudes, stating that social stigma remains the greatest barrier to mental well-being and inclusion.