In response to the growing mental health problems of children and adolescents, the Ministry of Health and Population has decided to train health workers to examine their mental health conditions.
Officials said up to 150 health workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, will be trained to screen the mental health conditions of this age group in the current financial year.
“We hope that the training program for health workers will help to reduce the current mental health problems in children and adolescents,” said Dr Pomawati Thapa, head of the non-communicable diseases and mental health division at the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control. “Those who work at health centers will first be trained so that children and youth from villages can easily access the services.
A report from the National Mental Health Survey Nepal-2020 shows that the prevalence of mental disorders among youth was 5.2 percent that year, and nervous and stress-related disorders were the most common at 2.8 percent.
Likewise, the prevalence of current suicidal thoughts in teenagers was around four percent, while suicide attempts in the same age group was 0.7 percent. The same report also shows that 0.6 percent of children and adolescents were found to have suffered from depression.
The prevalence of suicidal ideation, including current suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide attempt, and future likelihood of suicidal ideation, was found to be prevalent at 7.2 percent of the population.
Experts say that mental problems in children and teenagers could be many times higher than the survey shows. They say that around 10 to 15 percent of the total number of children and young people may have suffered from various mental health problems, and due to methodological problems, the survey may not reflect real problems.
“Children and adolescents may suffer from a range of mental health problems, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, conduct disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Dr Arun Kunwar, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. “But very few parents and teachers realize the problems and consult a doctor. Children will be shamed and beaten both at school and at home.”
A study conducted by the Nepal Health Research Council in the past shows that about 13 percent of Nepalis suffer from some form of mental disorder. This means that about one in eight Nepalese have a mental health problem. Moreover, the country simply does not have enough specialists to treat mental health problems, it added.
Health officials said there are only about half a dozen child and adolescent psychiatrists in the country, and only a few serve in state-run health facilities. Similarly, the main contributors to the treatment gap are societal attitudes, traditions and stigmas related to mental disorders, according to experts.
“This training will help health workers spot problems and refer patients to clinics with child psychiatrists and psychologists,” Thapa said.
Research shows that the extent of suffering, burden and cost to individuals, families and communities due to mental illness is alarming in Nepal.
The World Health Organization says that one in four people in the world has been affected by a mental or neurological illness at some point in their lives, and about 450 million people currently suffer from such illnesses, making mental disorders among the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide.
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