What Government Mental Health Services Can Be Accessed By the Civilian Population of Sri Lanka Following the End of the Civil War: A Literature Review

Tanvi Khetan, Tharanika Ahillan

Mental health, Sri Lanka, Literature review, Civil war

Introduction: Sri Lanka, a lower middle-income country in South Asia, has experienced a devastating civil war, with unique mental health needs following the end of the civil war in 2009.

Methods: A literature review was conducted to examine what government mental health services can be accessed by the civilian population following the end of the civil war.

Results: Following the end of the civil war, mental healthcare within Sri Lanka can be structured around six principle aims as outlined in the Mental Health Policy of Sri Lanka 2005-2015: to provide mental health services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, to provide services of good quality where and when they are needed, to provide services that will be organised at community level with community, family and consumer participation health, to ensure mental health services will be linked to other sectors, to ensure mental health services will be culturally appropriate and evidence-based and to protect the human rights and dignity of people with mental illness. It lists various services that have been provided, as well as the importance of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and indigenous healers and practices in providing the gaps in these services. 

Conclusions: A greater focus on primary healthcare and community healthcare is needed, whilst continuing existing measures such as training more mental health workers and psychiatrists, and providing integration of services through the multidisciplinary team and education sector. Finally there is a necessity for increased integration and coordination between the medical system and traditional sector to provide culturally sensitive mental healthcare, and increased research in this area and the effectiveness of the services to better inform future policies.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.16.2.8