Supreme Court Orders Gov’t to Expand Mental Health Services to Local Levels

Kathmandu: The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued a directive order to the government, mandating the expansion of mental health services to the local level. The directive comes in response to a writ petition highlighting the government’s lack of prioritization in mental healthcare and the difficulty faced by patients in accessing treatment.

A joint bench of Justices Hari Phuyal and Nripadhwaj Niroula issued a 12-point directive, instructing the government to integrate mental health services with community programs, health insurance, disability certification, employment, and intergovernmental coordination.

The Court has ordered federal and provincial hospitals to ensure the availability of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers specializing in mental health, and psychotherapists. These hospitals must also start offering outpatient (OPD) and ward-based services for mental health.

The directive emphasizes equal treatment of mental and physical health in terms of structure, budget, and resources. The government is ordered to allocate specific annual budgets for mental health and to formulate a new specialized law to replace the outdated National Mental Health Policy of 1996 (2053 BS).

The Court further urged community-based rehabilitation of individuals who have become dependent due to mental illness and directed the government to reduce stigma, superstition, and discrimination through legal reforms. It also called for making any stigmatizing or discriminatory acts punishable by law.

In addition, the court has directed the promotion of alternative healing practices such as Ayurveda and yoga, and emphasized the need to ensure that mental health services are free from violence and torture. It mandated regular monitoring to protect patients from unnecessary suffering or abuse.

The directive also includes a call to amend all discriminatory laws and make all mental health-related legislation human rights-friendly.

The order was issued following a writ petition filed by the National Mental Health Self-Reliance Organization, which demanded greater priority and legal safeguards for mental health in Nepal.