MENTAL health is no less important than physical health. A healthy body does not necessarily guarantee a normal life. Newspapers published reports on Saturday marking the observance of the World Mental Health Day.
Statistics indicate that approximately 18.7 percent of the elderly and 12.6 percent of children and adolescents in the country are currently suffering from mental illnesses.
Even more distressing is the fact that only 8 percent of those suffering from mental illness receive treatment, while the remaining 92 percent remain untreated.
It is hard to believe that mental health treatment facilities are available only in the capital and divisional cities.
The situation in districts and upazilas is such that not only is treatment unavailable, but there is also a shortage of medicines.
Citing research, media reports state that mental health issues are most frequently observed among cancer patients.
Patients become mentally distressed due to anxiety about the disease, uncertainty regarding treatment, and financial strain.
Approximately 88 percent of cancer patients suffer from mental health issues. Disturbingly, only 7 percent of them are referred to specialist physicians.
An analysis of the prevalence of mental health problems revealed that anxiety and depression were among the most common issues. Besides, there are numerous causes for the deterioration of mental health.
Family discord, excessive work pressure, and financial uncertainty can deal a severe blow to one’s mental well-being.
Needless to say, these issues are increasingly affecting our daily life, causing a significant portion of the population to suffer from mental health problems.
Reportedly, concerns regarding mental health are rising not only in Bangladesh but also across the globe.
According to research published in the medical journal “The Lancet”, approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide suffered from various mental health issues in 2023. This figure represents a 95.5 percent increase compared to 1990.
One might well ask: what is the reason behind this indifference on the part of government regarding the treatment of the mentally ill? Is mental illness not worthy of serious attention? How can it be acceptable that 92 percent of mental health patients remain without treatment? Why the allocation for the health sector is so insignificant? We want treatment facilities for this condition to be available across the entire country, not just in the capital and divisional cities.
We urge the government and the Ministry of Health in particular, to ensure the availability of doctors, other personnel, and medicines right down to the Upazila level for the necessary treatment of mental illnesses.
We wish to see the citizenry physically and mentally healthy; only then can the state fully utilize its human resources.