Getting serious on suicides

The National Planning Commission should lobby for more money for mental health.

More and more Nepalis are afflicted with mental health problems. In keeping with the global trends, the mental health picture of Nepal worsened after the Covid pandemic, which caused an unprecedented health crisis and devastated economies. It left millions jobless. The pandemic happened at a time when the country was only just starting to recover from the 2015 earthquake. Many countries handled the post-pandemic situation efficiently. With innovative schemes and policies, they helped businesses rebound and created new jobs. But since that time the economic condition of most folks in Nepal has gone from bad to worse. Those who can leave the country the first chance they get. For those left behind for whatever reason, they feel a deep sense of frustration. They feel trapped. The consequences of this are often deadly.