KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Food Safety is set to launch a nationwide campaign to expand mental health services, treatment and public awareness by mobilising federal, provincial and local government mechanisms.
The decision follows an online meeting chaired by Ministry Secretary Bikash Devkota, with the participation of division and centre chiefs, health secretaries from all seven provinces, directors of provincial health directorates and representatives of the World Health Organization.
According to the ministry, mental health awareness programmes will be implemented through the existing health system to reach communities across the country. The campaign will focus on mental health education in schools, community outreach, support for people receiving treatment, and counselling and follow-up services for Nepali migrant workers and their families.
The ministry also plans to widely promote mental health helpline 1166, the Hello Swasthya hotline 1115 and contact information for nearby health facilities. Public awareness will be disseminated through mobile ring-back tones, social media, posters, video messages, TikTok reels and online counselling services.
The campaign will mobilise female community health volunteers, school health nurses, teachers, youth clubs, the SaMi Project and non-governmental organisations working in the mental health sector. Yoga, meditation and psychosocial services under the Ayurveda system will also be incorporated into the initiative.
In addition, the ministry said it would promote available mental health services in hospitals, ensure the supply of free essential medicines, integrate mental health into routine healthcare services and establish psychosocial health desks at hospitals where necessary.
The meeting also decided to update the database of trained mental health professionals, trace and reconnect patients who have discontinued treatment, identify people with untreated mental health conditions in communities and prepare guidelines for mobilising scholarship doctors.
The ministry plans to begin preliminary activities within the current fiscal year and roll out a more comprehensive nationwide campaign from the start of the next fiscal year, with an emphasis on community-based mental health counselling and services.
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