Post of mental health director to be created
Draft of the National Mental Health policy has been finalised
A post of mental health director will be created under the Health Ministry and Directorate General of Health Services, said health experts.
The topic of mental health has to be included in the MBBS curriculum with more importance for the betterment of the mental health sector, they added while speaking at a meeting of working group of National Mental Health Strategy on Thursday.
Health Minister Zahid Malek attended the meeting as the chief guest while Saima Wazed Hossain, chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders attended as the prime speaker.
Speakers at the meeting confirmed that the draft of the National Mental Health policy has been finalised.
The health minister said mental health is as important as physical health. "Steps have to be taken to implement the proposal made in the draft of creating a separate mental health director's office," he added.
Besides, the proposal of reflecting mental health in professional exams has to be emphasized, Malek further said.
Saima Wazed discussed on the mental health action plan in details, saying a sustainable action plan is needed to ensure integrated, modern and scientific mental health service.
"There is no alternative to information management, enhancing capacity and research in order to improve mental health and reduce risk of mental illness," she added.
She also proposed to bring the teachers under training to prevent the students from committing suicide after failing exams.
Among others, Health Secretary Asadul Islam, Country Representative of World Health Organisation Bardhon Zong Rana and the Director General of Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad, were present at the meeting.
