KATHMANDU: With a meager allocation of budget in the health sector 'Health for All' remains a distant dream for the country. So is the reality of budget allocation, 0.08 per cent of the health budget, in mental health sector. And added to this irony, there is no mental health act and the National Mental Health Policy formulated in 1997, which is yet to go operational, said Dr Surendra Sherchan, director, Mental Hospital, Lagankhel. “The only one mental hospital in the country lacks sufficient budget and human resource," he said.

Report shows 22,000 to 25,000 patients visit mental hospital annually, while 900 patients of them needed long-term care. The government, however, has allocated meager Rs 13 to the hospital. This came to light today as Nepal celebarted the World Mental Health Day.