National Mental Health Programme

New Delhi December 14, 2013: Government of India is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) since 1982 to address the huge burden of mental disorders and acute shortage of qualified professionals in the field of mental health. The programme has following components:

i. District Mental Health Programme

ii. Up-gradation of Psychiatric Wings of Govt. Medical Colleges

iii. Modernization of Govt. Mental Hospitals

During the 11th Five Year Plan, the NMHP was restructured to include Manpower Development Schemes.

Under the Manpower Development Scheme (Scheme-A), 11 Centres of Excellence in the field of mental health have been established in the country.

Under Manpower Development Scheme (Scheme-B), support has been provided to 27 PG Departments in mental health specialties viz. Psychiatry (7 Departments), Clinical Psychology (7 Departments), Psychiatric Social Work (6 Departments) and Psychiatric Nursing (7 Departments).

As a result of implementation of Manpower Development Schemes (Scheme – A and Scheme – B) in the country a total of 312 new PG seats in mental health specialties have been created in the supported Institutes.

Further, the following achievements have been made as per given details:

I. District Mental Health Programme with added components of Life Skills Education and Counselling in Schools and Colleges, suicide prevention services etc. is currently under implementation in 123 Districts of the country.

II. Up-gradation of 88 Psychiatric Wings of Government Medical College has been supported under the scheme

III. Modernization of 29 Government Mental Hospitals has been supported under the scheme.

The details of funds allocated and utilized under NMHP during last three financial years and the current financial year is:

Details of funds allocated and utilized under National Mental Health Programme

As per the National Survey of Mental Health Resources carried out by the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare during May and July, 2002, the ideal required number of mental health professionals has been calculated as under:

i. Psychiatrists : 1.0 per 1,00,000 population

ii. Clinical Psychologist : 1.5 per 1,00,000 population

iii. Psychiatric Social Workers : 2.0 per 1,00,000 population

iv. Psychiatric Nurses : 1.0 per 10 psychiatric beds.

v.

Based on the above, the details of present requirement and availability of mental health professionals in the country is as under:

There are 3 Centrally run mental health institutes, 40 State run mental hospitals and 335 Departments of Psychiatry in various medical colleges (154 in Government and 181 in private) across the country equipped to treat patients suffering from mental illness.

The 12^th Plan proposal for NMHP aims at focusing on the functional and service delivery aspects of NMHP. It will emphasize on integration of mental health with general health, availability of mental health professionals, promotion of community participation in service delivery etc.

The Government has constituted a Policy Group to work on framing a Mental Health Policy for India keeping in mind internationally accepted guidelines and also the specific context of mental illness in India.

This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today. PIB