On October 10 each year, World Mental Health Day is observed globally to promote mental health awareness. This year, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) organized events promoting mental health awareness, reaching over 1,177 individuals under the theme, “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.”
At the BDRCS National Headquarters in Dhaka, activities included an awareness rally, distribution of self-care T-shirts, mental health information flyers, and discussions. Two structured stress management sessions provided staff and volunteers with skills to recognize signs of personal stress and burnout, as well as strategies to cope, manage, and support one another. A “buddy system” was introduced to encourage peer-to-peer support among colleagues.
In Cox’s Bazar, BDRCS marked the day under the Population Movement Operation (PMO) by conducting a stress management workshop for senior and mid-level managers on October 7, 2024, followed by mental health discussions with MHPSS actors and awareness sessions at Camps 12, 13, 14, and Camp 2 East for PHC and CSS staff and volunteers from October 17-23, 2024. Additionally, under the PPP project, awareness events on mental health for Epidemic and Pandemic Emergency Response Health Workers took place across Dhaka, Sylhet, and Rajshahi, focusing on stress management skills essential for health workers during outbreaks.
