The government has taken up a special project titled ‘Community Mental Health’ to expand mental health services to grassroots and upazila levels, State Minister for Health MA Muhit said.
He said the absence of mental health services at the local and upazila levels is a major gap that needs to be addressed.
Under the project, people will receive services through an integrated referral system connecting upazila and district-level facilities, along with tele-counselling support, he said.
The state minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘From Silence to Action: A Call to Change Perspectives on Youth Suicide’, organised by Anchol Foundation and Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
Calling for mental health awareness campaigns to be turned into a social movement rather than being limited to publicity activities, Muhit said such initiatives should be taken forward positively for public welfare.
He urged people to become more aware of mental health issues so that they can play a role in ensuring not only their own well-being but also the mental well-being of others.
Speaking about dengue preparedness, the state minister said the country may see the peak period of dengue infections from late September to early October.
To tackle the situation, the government is set to launch a three-month special dengue awareness campaign, he said.
Under the campaign, voluntary organisations, people from different professions and the general public will be involved in collective efforts to prevent dengue.
The seminar was chaired by HRDC Chief Executive Mahbubul Haque. Professor Saifun Nahar, Professor Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, journalist Ikramul Haque Sayem and researcher Gowhar Naeem Wara, among others, were present.
