The Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP) has organised the country’s first-ever Mental Health Olympiad for medical students to promote awareness of mental health and psychiatry and strengthen future doctors’ professional skills.
The event was held on Saturday at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Dhaka, with support from Square Pharmaceuticals PLC and assistance from the Bangladesh Medical Students’ Society (BMSS) and the Dhaka Medical College Quiz and Debating Society (DMCQDS).
Speaking at the event, Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain said future doctors must learn to listen to patients and pay close attention to their mental well-being.
Doctors should listen to people’s life stories and help them achieve peace of mind and better mental health, he said.
Emphasising that good health encompasses both physical and mental well-being, he added that doctors must also take care of their own mental health.
Professor Dr Rubina Yasmin, additional director general (medical education) at the Directorate General of Medical Education, said mental health knowledge is essential for medical students regardless of their chosen specialty, as patients across all disciplines may experience mental health problems.
She said such initiatives could play a vital role in raising mental health awareness among future doctors.
A total of 150 students from medical colleges across the country competed in three categories: fifth-year students, third- and fourth-year students, and first- and second-year students.
Male and female participants were awarded separately in each category. First-, second- and third-place winners received Tk8,000, Tk5,000 and Tk3,000, respectively, along with crests.
The competition ran from 9am to 11am, followed by sessions on careers in psychiatry, mental health and professional opportunities in the field.
Dr Anika Basarat, registrar at NIMH, delivered a presentation on “Career in Psychiatry”, while the institute’s Assistant Professor Dr Md Arifuzzaman discussed “BAP and Mental Health in Bangladesh”.
The programme also featured a mock debate organised by the Dhaka Medical College Quiz and Debating Society.