Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal
Background: Nepal faces significant disparities in mental health care, especially in rural areas like Karnali Province, which are often overlooked. The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, held in Jumla from May 4–5, 2024, sought to address these gaps by promoting innovative,...
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Karnali Academy of Health Sciences
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://jkahs.org.np/jkahs/index.php/jkahs/article/view/980 |
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| author | Sudhamsu Gautam Abishkar Thapa Prayash Gautam Subash Wagle Prajjwal Pokharel Silvia Maharjan Atal Ghimire Madhur Basnet Diwakar Joshi Riju Kafle Chhori Maharjan Kapil Sharma Shreedhar Paudel |
| author_facet | Sudhamsu Gautam Abishkar Thapa Prayash Gautam Subash Wagle Prajjwal Pokharel Silvia Maharjan Atal Ghimire Madhur Basnet Diwakar Joshi Riju Kafle Chhori Maharjan Kapil Sharma Shreedhar Paudel |
| author_sort | Sudhamsu Gautam |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Background: Nepal faces significant disparities in mental health care, especially in rural areas like Karnali Province, which are often overlooked. The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, held in Jumla from May 4–5, 2024, sought to address these gaps by promoting innovative, community-driven, and culturally sensitive mental health initiatives.
Methods: Jointly organized by Massachusetts General Hospital and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences with national and international partners, the conference used a participatory approach. Data were gathered from session notes, participant feedback, and thematic literature review. The program included keynotes, scientific discussions, workshops, and demonstrations.
Results: Despite logistical challenges, 250 participants attended. Discussions focused on task-sharing, stigma reduction, integrating traditional and biomedical practices, and strengthening primary mental health care. Workshops recommended practical models like telemedicine and community health volunteer networks. The event concluded with the “Jumla Declaration,” outlining plans to establish KAHS as a mental health hub. Key barriers included limited professional involvement, infrastructure gaps, and the need for culturally tailored strategies and stronger policy alignment.
Conclusion: The conference marked a pivotal step in reimagining mental health care in Nepal, showing the promise of inclusive, ethical, community-based approaches to bridging the mental health gap in low-resource settings. While challenges in implementation and scale remain, the event laid a foundation for long-term policy reform and sustainable service innovation in rural Nepal.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3397cf9e040740bb8690efb1e86b38fb |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2616-0064 2676-1327 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Karnali Academy of Health Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-3397cf9e040740bb8690efb1e86b38fb2025-08-20T03:23:06ZengKarnali Academy of Health SciencesJournal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences2616-00642676-13272025-06-018110.61814/jkahs.v8i1.980Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal Sudhamsu Gautam0Abishkar Thapa1Prayash Gautam2Subash Wagle3Prajjwal Pokharel4Silvia Maharjan5Atal Ghimire6Madhur Basnet7Diwakar Joshi8Riju Kafle9Chhori Maharjan10Kapil Sharma11Shreedhar Paudel12Nepal Institute of Mental HealthIndependent Researcher, Lalitpur, NepalHealth Foundation Nepal, Dang, NepalCentral Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, NepalHealth Foundation Nepal, Dang, NepalHealth Foundation Nepal, Dang, NepalKhairaheni Nagar Hospital, Chitwan, NepalDepartment of Psychiatry, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences., Nepal Institute of Mental Health, Chitwan, NepalNepal Institute of Mental Health, Chitwan, NepalDepartment of Psychiatry, MetroHealth Case Western System, OH, U.S.A.Ankur Counseling and Training Center, Nepal Youth Foundation, Lalitpur, Nepal., Nepal Institute of Mental Health, Chitwan NepalDepartment of Educational Leadership, Kathmandu University, Lalitpur, Nepal., Nepal Institute of Mental Health, Chitwan, NepalDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, U.S.A., Nepal Institute of Mental Health, Chitwan, Nepal., Health Foundation Nepal, Dang, Nepal Background: Nepal faces significant disparities in mental health care, especially in rural areas like Karnali Province, which are often overlooked. The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, held in Jumla from May 4–5, 2024, sought to address these gaps by promoting innovative, community-driven, and culturally sensitive mental health initiatives. Methods: Jointly organized by Massachusetts General Hospital and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences with national and international partners, the conference used a participatory approach. Data were gathered from session notes, participant feedback, and thematic literature review. The program included keynotes, scientific discussions, workshops, and demonstrations. Results: Despite logistical challenges, 250 participants attended. Discussions focused on task-sharing, stigma reduction, integrating traditional and biomedical practices, and strengthening primary mental health care. Workshops recommended practical models like telemedicine and community health volunteer networks. The event concluded with the “Jumla Declaration,” outlining plans to establish KAHS as a mental health hub. Key barriers included limited professional involvement, infrastructure gaps, and the need for culturally tailored strategies and stronger policy alignment. Conclusion: The conference marked a pivotal step in reimagining mental health care in Nepal, showing the promise of inclusive, ethical, community-based approaches to bridging the mental health gap in low-resource settings. While challenges in implementation and scale remain, the event laid a foundation for long-term policy reform and sustainable service innovation in rural Nepal. https://jkahs.org.np/jkahs/index.php/jkahs/article/view/980Community mental healthRural healthNepalPrimary healthcare integrationTask-sharingJumla Declaration |
| spellingShingle | Sudhamsu Gautam Abishkar Thapa Prayash Gautam Subash Wagle Prajjwal Pokharel Silvia Maharjan Atal Ghimire Madhur Basnet Diwakar Joshi Riju Kafle Chhori Maharjan Kapil Sharma Shreedhar Paudel Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences Community mental health Rural health Nepal Primary healthcare integration Task-sharing Jumla Declaration |
| title | Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal |
| title_full | Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal |
| title_short | Innovation and Collaboration for Mental Health for All: A Brief Report on The First International Conference on Community Mental Health, Jumla, Nepal |
| title_sort | innovation and collaboration for mental health for all a brief report on the first international conference on community mental health jumla nepal |
| topic | Community mental health Rural health Nepal Primary healthcare integration Task-sharing Jumla Declaration |
| url | https://jkahs.org.np/jkahs/index.php/jkahs/article/view/980 |
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