Access to Mental Health Care in Nepal: Current Status, Potential Challenges, and Ways Out

Nepal is a small Himalayan nation situated between India and China. The history of mental health care development in Nepal is around 60 years. The burden of mental health issues is high and resources are limited. Though there has been steady improvement in mental health care services, Nepal faces challenges similar to other lower middle income countries and some unique ones. The major challenges in mental health care in Nepal are high treatment gap, unregulated help seeking pattern, poor fund and research, inadequate and inequitable manpower, huge out of pocket expense, poor referral system, poor mental health literacy, high stigma, non-judicious prescribing and various administrative difficulties. In this chapter we discuss about the historical aspects, epidemiology, policies and legislations, services, challenges and potential ways out for mental health care in Nepal.