BasicNeeds is an international development organization which helps people with mental disorders and epilepsy. Launched in Laos PDR in 2007, already 1238 patients were reached out so far under BNL programme in Vientiane Capital and Borikhamxay Province.
Lao counts 2 psychiatrists for 6, 3 million inhabitants versus 1 for 10 000 inhabitants in the UK and 1 for 5000 in France.
To bring about and sustain positive change, mental health and socio-economic issues must be addressed concurrently. Built around this central theme, a new approach to supporting poor people with mental disorders emerged, which became known as the Model for mental health and development.