Mental Health Services in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with more than 90% of the mental health treatment gap. After abolishing the Dhaka asylum, the Pabna Mental Hospital and the National Institute of Mental Health are the prominent services set up in the country. There are inadequate and inequitable distributions of human resources. Psychiatric services are focused only at the tertiary care level. There are high stigma, low literacy, inadequate funds and research, a non-existent referral system, lack of insurance facilitates, and huge out-of-pocket expenses in regard to mental health services in Bangladesh. Traditional healers play an important role in the treatment of mental disorders in Bangladesh due to the perceived causative role of supernatural forces in mental disorders. I discuss historical aspects of mental health services development, mental health services delivery system, human resource in mental health services, help-seeking behavior in mental health care, and current challenges and ways out for mental health care in Bangladesh.