KARNALI: A recent study has revealed that 42 percent of people in Karnali Province suffer from anxiety, while 23 percent experience depression. Additionally, 11.7 percent of the population is affected by some form of mental illness.
These findings were shared during the Mid-Term Review and Interaction on the Mental Health and Psycho-social Strategy Action Plan (2079–2087), held in Birendranagar, Surkhet.
The event was organized by the Karnali Province Ministry of Social Development, with financial and technical support from the Swiss Government and the Mental Health and Counseling Center (CMC Nepal).
While presenting on national mental health policies and strategies, CMC Nepal Director Dr. Pashupati Mahat cited data from the National Health Research Council, highlighting the alarming mental health statistics in Karnali. He emphasized the need for all levels of government to invest in mental health prevention and treatment.
Minister for Social Development Ghanashyam Bhandari stressed the importance of a coordinated effort to address mental health challenges. “The bigger problem today is not the illness itself, but the tendency to hide it. We must take this issue seriously before it worsens,” he said.
Minister Bhandari noted that Karnali is the first among Nepal’s seven provinces to formulate and begin implementing a dedicated Mental Health and Psychosocial Strategy and Action Plan.
Dholak Raj Dhakal, Secretary at the Ministry of Social Development, stated that mental health is a fundamental right. “Health has an immediate impact, and education has a long-term impact—both must be protected through awareness and proactive measures,” he said.
Shakti Subedi, Director of the Provincial Health Supply Management Center in Surkhet, said that efforts are underway to ensure the availability of essential medicines based on mental health needs assessed across various districts.
Ramesh Thapa, Chief of the Karnali Province Office of the National Human Rights Commission, emphasized the collective responsibility to uphold every individual’s right to live a dignified life.
Psychiatrist Dr. Sushil Samdarshi presented the future direction of the province’s mental health and psychosocial strategy, including policy initiatives and achievements to date. Public Health Officer Kiran Kumar Sharma provided an overview of current mental health conditions in Karnali and government efforts toward improvement.
Himal Gaire, Head of Policy, Strategy, and Good Governance at CMC Nepal, said the mid-term review aims to address gaps in the current action plan and include the specific needs of Upper Karnali.
He also noted that mental health issues are particularly severe in districts like Rukum Paschim, where many residents return from foreign employment with heightened psychological distress.
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