Creating body to look after mental healthcare issues

Possibly due to social stigma and myths attached to it, mental well-being remains one of the most neglected fields in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, mental illness has now escalated to crisis proportions. We have hospitals and physicians to ensure people's physical well-being, but how many of them are forpeople suffering from mental problems?

Recently a police officer, who had been suffering from mental complications over some family issues, faced a tragic death in a private hospital. In my eyes, he was shifted to private facilities as he was not getting proper treatment in a government hospital. Neither did the private hospital have any staff who could handle the patient properly. Instead, they assaulted the police officer, leading to his death. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the government brought on board all relevant stakeholders, especially psychiatrists and mental health experts and create a governmental body in order to combat the crisis of mental well-being.

Sharmin Sadia

Student of Department of Marketing

Jahangirnagar University