The School of Public Health, IUB organized a two day international workshop on Global Mental Health From 1-2 October 2015 at IUB Campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka.
In the public talk session held on October 1st Professor M Omar Rahman, Renowned Psychiatrist and Vice Chancellor, IUB delivered the welcome address. The chief guest for the program was Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bir Bikram, Energy Advisor to the Honorable Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Eminent psychiatrist Dr. Vikram Patel, Professor of International Mental Health and Welcome Trust Principal Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Public Health Foundation of India gave the key note speech on Global Mental Health: ‘The Black Dog:Why Don’t We Care’.
Other speakers were Dr. Atif Rahman, Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Liverpool, UK who spoke on maternal mental health need and priorities, Dr. Shamim Matin Chowdhury, Founder Chairperson, Beautiful Mind Bangladesh, highlighted the mental health scenario of Bangladesh. Mr A Matin Chowdhury, Chairman IUB Founding Trust and Mr Rashed Chowdhury, Chairman, Board of Trustees, IUB were also present on the occasion.
On 02 October, a number of participants from the government, semi-government and Non-government organizations working on mental health presented their respective works, barriers and challenges of mental health in Bangladesh and exchanged view and discussed way forward with the eminent representatives of mental health from South Asia.