Community Psychiatry in Bangladesh: Development and Current Status

Community psychiatry is the practice of providing mental health services in the community rather than in long-term institutions. It aims to improve the quality of life and human rights of people with mental disorders or disabilities. Bangladesh faces many challenges in implementing effective and accessible community psychiatric services. These include a lack of resources, a high treatment gap, a low awareness, and a strong stigma. The country has recently adopted new policies and laws to promote community psychiatry, such as the Mental Health Act 2018 and the Mental Health Policy 2019. These policies emphasize a psychosocial approach, decentralization, and community participation. The country also plans to establish 18,000 community clinics to provide primary care services, including mental health screening, identification, and counseling. Moreover, some innovative initiatives have been launched, such as the “First Day-centers Meaningful Social Access for Persons with Mental Health Needs” project and telepsychiatry. These initiatives aim to provide comprehensive and holistic care to people with mental health needs in the community. However, more efforts are needed to overcome the existing barriers and gaps in community psychiatric services in Bangladesh.