Only 31 trained psychologists for 14m mental patients!

There are only 31 trained clinical psychologists in the country to address the psychological issues of some 14 million mentally ill people, said noted psychologist Dr Graham Powell.
Terming the insignificant number of manpower to combat the mental health problem in the country a big challenge, he also highlighted the ways on how the clinical psychologists can contribute to this field.
He said Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society and the Department of Clinical Psychology of Dhaka University (DU) have been jointly working to provide better mental support to a huge number of people.
Dr Graham, also former president of British Psychological Society, presented a keynote paper at the seminar titled 'Mental health in national development' at the conference room of Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban at DU.
DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddiqui was present at the seminar as the chief guest while Biology Faculty Dean Prof Abul Bashar, National Institute of Mental Health Director Dr Md Golam Rabbani, BSMMU Psychiatry Department Chairman Prof MSI Mallik, DU Psychology Department Chairman Prof Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury and Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society President Rokeya Begum were present.
Dr Graham and Dr Anisur Rahman were awarded crests as the pioneers of mental health services in the country.