Scaling Up Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Bangladesh

Bangladesh takes steps to strengthen MHPSS preparedness through inter-agency training, preparedness assessment, and stakeholder engagement.

In May 2024, WHO Member States adopted a new resolution emphasizing the critical importance of “Strengthening mental health and psychosocial support before, during and after armed conflicts, natural and human-caused disasters, and health and other emergencies.” Bangladesh, which hosts  over 1.1 million Rohingya refugees and faces increasingly severe monsoon seasons, recurring infectious disease outbreaks and ongoing social and political challenges, has taken significant steps to act on this resolution and integrate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into efforts to reduce and manage disaster risks. In a country where more than 3 out of 4 people live in areas at-risk of natural hazards, this integration is increasingly recognised as a fundamental public health priority that strengthens overall resilience and response capabilities.

In December 2024, the WHO Country Office for Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR, led a series of national MHPSS preparedness activities—marking a milestone in advancing the integration of MHPSS within disaster risk management, enhancing preparedness for more effective emergency response.

Training for MHPSS Preparedness: Building National Capacity

From 2–4 December, WHO and UNHCR co-organized a three-day inter-agency workshop in Cox’s Bazar focused on operationalizing MHPSS preparedness as part of disaster risk management. This workshop was part of broader efforts under the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health (SIMH) to expand sustainable mental health services in Bangladesh. More than 50 participants from across government and the humanitarian and development sectors joined the workshop. The MHPSS Ready training package aims to strengthen the capacity to manage risks to mental health and ensure timely and effective mental health and psychosocial support before, during and after emergencies. 

To further support implementation, WHO and partners piloted the forthcoming MHPSS Preparedness Assessment Toolkit, using the toolkit’s capacity checklist to assess MHPSS readiness in SIMH-supported districts and in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. To further assess readiness, two community risks and capacities focus group discussions were held in Cox’s Bazar to gather feedback from adults living in the refugee camps. Visits to health centres and community discussions further enriched findings, with more district-level assessments planned for 2025.

Building on these activities,, a national stakeholder workshop on MHPSS preparedness was also held on 10 December in Dhaka. The workshop brought together representatives from the National Institute of Mental Health, NGOs, and UN agencies to define key challenges and next steps. Among the priorities identified were expanding community-based mental health systems, strengthening multisectoral coordination, and embedding MHPSS within national emergency and disaster management planning and structures.

These initial steps mark important progress in strengthening MHPSS preparedness in Bangladesh. Through investment in coordination, capacity, and data, the country is moving toward more resilient systems. Strengthening MHPSS is  essential to protecting population well-being during emergencies, and boosting universal health coverage

For more information, please contact Hasina Momotaz ([email protected]) and Dr Brandon Gray ([email protected])