Ministry of Health and Family Welfare presented the initial findings of National Mental Health Survey, Bangladesh, 2019, a study carried out by National Institute of Mental Health with technical support from the World Health Organization.
According to the survey, the prevalence of mental health disorders is 16.8% among the adults aged 18–99 years and 13.6% for children aged 7–17 years. The study also indicates that 92.3% of adults and 94.5% of children diagnosed with mental disorders do not get treatment for their condition. Another finding of the survey is that main points of treatment are private chamber of psychiatrists, followed by Governmental health facilities and different other physicians.
A full report outlining specific details of mental health in Bangladesh will be published at a later date.
The findings have been presented during an event attended by high level representatives of Minister of Health and Family Welfare, among which Mr Zahid Maleque, Minister, Md. Asadul Islam, Secretary, Health Services Division, Professor Dr Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, Director General of Health Services, Professor Dr Mohit Kamal, Director of National Institute of Mental Health, together with Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh and representatives from different partner organizations.
The survey was conducted with the financial assistance from Non-Communicable Disease Control unit, Directorate General of Health Services. Data was collected in April–June 2019 from 7 270 adults and 2 246 children.
WHO remains committed in supporting the Government of Bangladesh to reduce the burden of mental disorders and to improve the mental health of the population.