Kathmandu, Dec 24 (RSS):   
Stakeholders have suggested that the migrant workers should be given psychological counseling besides the medical tests of the migrants before going abroad.     
At an interaction programme organized here today by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and an NGO called Koshish, the speakers came up with the idea that mental health test is also needed prior to departure for the mental stress management of the workers in the destination countries.    
Of the many reasons, mental problem is a key factor behind the suicidal deaths of migrants abroad. According to a figure released by the Foreign Employment Board, altogether 892 people committed suicide in the last one decade and the number of suicidal deaths are on the rise.    
Psychologist Dr Narendra Singh Thagunna said that cultural shocks, family separation, mental stress and stress at workstation also result in the suicide of the migrants.    
Psychiatrist at Civil Service Hospital Dr Dinesh Kumar Lamsal argued that since we don’t have trend to examine the mental health of the migrant workers, we need to take it seriously and added that mental health is also an alarming problem among the returnees.     
On the occasion, Thagunna said that about 90 percent of the mental diseases could be dealt through psychotherapy and counseling. "It's not costlier too. Contact should be established with the health care organization in the destination countries," he suggested.    
Likewise, Executive Director of Board Jan Shrestha shared that stress management is a highly prioritized topic in the orientation process before the departure. "Training on stress management is being given to the workers through the audio-visual means," adding that psycho-social counseling training is given in 39 districts to the families of the migrant workers through the Safer Migration (SaMi) Project.    
On the occasion, Member of the NHRC Sudip Pathak said that mental health was a crucial issue for the case of migrant workers adding that the NHRC has also its serious concern to that end.