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There has been growing concern over increasing mental health-related problems amongst children in Viet Nam such as anorexia nervosa, depression and suicide. Dr Nguyen Thi My Loc from Hanoi National University says that between 20 and 30 per cent of school pupils in Hanoi and 10-20 per cent in Bien Hoa city show symptoms of mental distress. She says there are many causes leading to this phenomenon, mostly from families, society, the education sector and especially from social changes. Extremes Doctor Nguyen Xuan Thu from Mai Huong psychiatric hospital in Hanoi says that either families’ excessive interest or disinterest can lead to mental illness among children. Dr Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh from Ho Chi Minh City Teachers Training University told VOVNews he had recently treated a schoolboy who was scared about being asked by his mother about his marks at school. After going to school, the boy was pressed by his mother to continue studying in the evening after dinner. Dr La Thi Buoi from the Research and Community Development Centre says that since its establishment in December 2005 the centre’s Tuna clinic has received hundreds of child patients with different symptoms of metal disorder including depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders, some committing suicide. The Hanoi Department of Health, Mai Huong Psychiatric Hospital and Australia’s Melbourne University recently conducted a survey on students’ metal health at schools in Hanoi. The survey revealed that 15.94 per cent of questioned students showed signs of mental distress, the abuse of addictive substances is also increasing rapidly among adolescents, and 10 per cent of suicide cases are aged between 10-17. About 3.7 per cent of the 21,960 questioned children and students showed signs of behavioral disorders, and about 19.46 per cent of the 1,202 questioned school graders aged between 10-16 showed mental health-related problems. Whose responsibility? To have good mental health, experts say that it is necessary to promote special care and coordination between family, school and society. “When families find out about their children’s health problems, it is sometimes too late. Many children contract mental diseases which are difficult to cure,” says doctor Nguyen Xuan Thu. Dr Nguyen Thi My Loc from Hanoi National University says, “There is prejudice and discrimination against mental health-affected people which make them feel ashamed and less self-confident in public. Changing the kind of behaviour requires a community-based education strategy through media agencies and close coordination between the healthcare, education and labour, invalids and social affairs sectors, as well as the goodwill and attitude of the public.” According to Mrs Loc, everyone can eliminate prejudice and discrimination against mental people by updating their knowledge on mental health and disorders, listening to people with mental disorders talk about themselves, avoid using words causing prejudice and discrimination, and support people who are vulnerable to mental disorders. It is psychiatrists who care for mental patients. However, Vietnam lacks enough psychiatrists and it is hard for them to work in schools. Doctors intervene only once symptoms of mental disease are reported. Vietnam has no long-term training programmes for clinical psychiatrists to work in schools, or medical and social organisations. It has just only carried out pilot projects and short-term training for psychiatrists, researchers and lecturers working in this field along with international organisations. In the long term, Dr Dang Ba Lam from the Institute for Strategy and Education Programme says that it is imperative to improve the national school curricula, aimed at reducing pressure on students, promote counselling services at schools and training students in psychology and mental health subjects at universities. Further information