Over six million Nepalis suffer from some form of mental illness, chief among them depression (six per cent), alcoholism (five per cent) and mental retardation (three per cent). And how many healthcare professionals tend to this burgeoning flock in Nepal? A total of 27 psychiatrists and six psychologists! No surprise that a third of the populace of the war-ravaged Nepal has mental disorder. But the country’s political leadership and chief healthcare bodies do not seem to have realised the extent of the crisis.

There is at present no piece of legislation covering mental health. Of three per cent set aside for health in the national budget, less than 0.8 per cent goes into mental health. In absence of funding from both government and donors, mental healthcare facilities have been concentrated in few urban centres. Some non-governmental organisations have done remarkable jobs in limited areas such as spreading awareness about mental health and removing the great stigma attached to it, but mental health, by and large, tends to go under the society’s radar. There are still places in Nepal where mental patients are locked up rather than treated. Hence, a long-term strategy backed up by the much-needed legislation on mental health has become necessary for the future health of the country. The onus is on the government, civil society members, media, and the donors to see to it that the country’s future is not jeopardised by this modern evil.