Kathmandu. As the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict on mental health care services is being made public, mental health check-ups in neighboring China will now be made a mandatory part of the routine diagnosis and treatment process in all health institutions in the country.
According to the provisions of a new circular issued by the National Health Commission of China on April 10, 2025, mental health screening will be included in the routine diagnosis and treatment process of all treatment departments in the country’s health institutions.
The circular has ordered local authorities to take effective measures to expand the group of specialist staff engaged in mental health and psychiatry services, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses and psychiatrists.
The new circular also marks the beginning of a three-year campaign until 2027 to improve China’s pediatric care and mental health and psychiatry services. According to the circular, patients marked through screening as potentially having psychological problems should receive a mental health assessment report on time. Those who have been confirmed to have psychological problems after evaluation or suspected of having mental illness should receive immediate intervention.
As part of the three-year campaign, local authorities need to strengthen the staff of medical staff involved in the management and care of patients with severe mental disorders in urban health centers and community healthcare centers. Availability of dedicated manpower for this purpose should also be ensured in each facility.
The campaign will focus on addressing the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents. According to a Reuters report, the initiative includes the establishment of a national mental health hotline, regional mental health centers, and the promotion of key clinical expertise in mental health. According to a press release issued by the National Health Commission of China, in order to improve people’s access to mental health services, a national hotline providing psychological support will be made available at all local levels before May 1, 2025.
The World Health Organization estimates that 54 million people in China suffer from depression. About 41 million people suffer from anxiety disorders. China’s total population is about 1.4 billion. According to China’s official news agency Xinhua, depression among adolescents is about 2%.
The National Health Commission aims to ensure outpatient services for mental and sleep disorders are accessible at at least one hospital in every province and city across the country by the end of 2025.
Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Nripdhwaj Niraula of the Supreme Court of Nepal had delivered a historic verdict on mental health treatment on November 15, 2017. In the full text of the verdict, which was made public on Friday, a mandamus has been issued in the name of the government to ensure mental health care services in the three-tier structure. Apart from this, the government will now have to keep the program in the annual budget in the field of mental health.
