Sad saga of national counselling facilities

Mental health is still not on the priority agenda in this country. A large section of the population is yet to understand the necessity of taking care of mental health. They also think there is little need for cognitive treatment or counselling for those with various psychological disorders and mental shocks. It is reflected in the underuse of national and regional trauma counselling centres. In the last one and a half decades, less than 3,000 people took the counselling services at these centres.

National Trauma Counseling Centre (NTCC) was established in 2009 at the Department of Women Affairs Building in Dhaka. It was launched as a project under the Multi-Sectoral Programme on Violence Against Women (VAW), a joint initiative of the Bangladesh and Denmark governments. In addition, eight regional centres were opened in eight medical college hospitals in eight divisions of the country in 2017. The regional centres function at the One Stop Crisis Centre of these hospitals. The primary objective of these centres is to provide mental health support to the women and children victims of violence. The scope of service later extended to various types of mental disorders and for men.

Nevertheless, the facilities are least known, and there is almost no initiative to publicise the availability of services at no cost. Last week, a leading vernacular daily published a news item depicting the overall condition of the national and regional counselling centres. It unveiled that due to lack of publicity coupled with human resources scarcity, people are not getting necessary service from there. So, those who are victims of various mental trauma and shocks and want to get psychotherapy mostly go to privately operated mental health care units where the cost is high. But, the national and regional centres provide counselling services at almost zero cost. So, those who can't afford to pay high fees for psychotherapy can go and take the required services from these centres.

Besides providing psychosocial counselling and support services, NTC is also designated to offer various training to develop a pool of skilled counsellors. Unfortunately, though it is important, there is little progress in this connection.

Recognising the importance of mental health, parliament approved a new Mental Health Act in 2018. The Ministry of Health also approved the Mental Health Policy in 2019. The policy underscores the psychosocial treatment model, a shift from the previous medical treatment model. It also emphasises decentralisation and community-based services and support for persons with mental illness. There is also a National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2020-2030. Psychotherapy and counselling are two critical tools for treating emotional problems and mental health conditions.

Various types of trauma are affecting people in different spheres of life negatively. For instance, torture and intimidation of students in educational institutions and dormitories have become regular. The victims need proper counselling, although nobody cares about it. Victims of road accidents are another group who also need counselling services. Women who are victims of domestic violence and social intimidation require mental therapy. Many children also face atrocities, and counselling is a must so they can live normally for the rest of their lives. Thus, the authorities must take necessary steps to popularise the national and regional counselling centres. In the upcoming national budget, adequate allocation should be there to continue and expand the activities of these centres.

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