Shuchona Foundation’s contribution to the Strengthening Capacity for Addressing Mental Health Conditions project
From the end week of October 2020 till the end week of November 2020, our Chairperson Ms. Saima Wazed along with our colleagues from Shuchona, Ms. Nazish Arman, Lead Coordinator, Ms. Salowa Salam Shaoli, Assistant Coordinator from Content Development team, and external consultant for this project, Dr. M. Tasdik Hasan, reviewed relevant literature including survey and study reports, plan, job description, and organization of DGHS services, as a means to facilitate the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in developing the National Mental Health Strategic Plan (NMHSP). Shuchona Foundation conducted a series of Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and in-depth Interview (IDI) where representatives from the Ministry of Education (MoE), Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW), Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWCA), Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MODMR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Bangladesh Association of Psychiatry, Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society, Bangladesh Educational and Counselling Psychology Society, Bangladesh Mental Health Network, and youth-led mental health organizations participated in the meeting. The purpose of these FGDs was to understand the perception of mental health priority areas in the country as part of the “Strengthening Capacity for Addressing Mental Health Conditions project”. The participants shared their opinions on key priority areas, prevailing challenges, ongoing initiatives taken by the organizations and gather specific recommendations for effective implementation of the NMHSP. The IDIs were conducted with persons with lived experience sharing their experiences, suggesting priority areas, challenges to be expected, and ongoing initiatives available in the country. The information will be incorporated into the Government of Bangladesh’s 4th Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Programme (4th HPNSP) from January 2017 to June 2022, implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The 4th HPNSP’s objectives include strengthening governance, institutional efficiency, expanding access and improving quality within the universal health care system and addressing mental health within the existing health care system of the country as part of universal health care.
