Access to Mental Health Care in South Asia: Variations of Challenges and Ways Forward

The geographical region of South Asia includes eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nearly a quarter of the world’s mentally ill persons live in these countries. The countries of the South Asian region share certain common social, cultural and economic factors, but they also encompass a wide range of ethnicities, cultures, languages and religions, and each of them represents a unique socio-ecological system with a distinct profile of challenges and opportunities. This chapter compares the specific profiles of challenges and barriers to mental health care in each of the above countries, based on the most recent available data and literature. Following this, recent research on innovative methods of working around these challenges is summarized and critically reviewed. The information presented in this chapter could serve as a valuable starting point for those interested in addressing country-specific gaps in the available evidence, in developing specific mental health interventions, in evaluating existing services, and in advocating for changes in legislation and policy where acceptable.