Mental Health Services Expand Across India With Tele-MANAS

Know about the steps taken by the Indian government to strengthen mental healthcare services.

The national tele-mental health initiative in India was launched in October 2022 with the introduction of the Tele-MANAS toll-free number. Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday that the Tele-MANAS mental health helpline had handled more than 1,176,000 calls. According to Jadhav, as of July, "36 States or Union Territories (UTs) have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells”().

The minister disclosed that, according to the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted in 2016, the prevalence of mental disorders among adults over the age of 18 in the nation is approximately 10.6%. The inclusion of mental health services in Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will enhance the treatment programs of primary healthcare providers.

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Services Provided by Health Centres

The government has recently upgraded over 1.73 lakh Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Sub Health Centers (SHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs at the primary healthcare level, stated Jadhav. Jadhav added that 767 districts have been authorized to conduct the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP).

The National Health Mission assists States and UTs with suicide prevention services, workplace stress management, life skills training, and counseling in schools and colleges as part of the DMHP, which is a part of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).

"Outpatient services, assessment, counseling/psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services" are among the services that DMHP offers at district hospitals, community health centers (CHC), and primary health centers (PHC).

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Under the Tertiary care component of NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been approved to increase the intake of students in PG departments in mental health specialties and to offer tertiary-level treatment facilities.

Additionally, funding has been allocated to establish or strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialties in 19 government medical colleges/institutions.

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Furthermore, mental health services are being provided for 22 new AIIMS nationwide.

According to Jadhav, there are currently 47 government-run mental hospitals across the nation, including three central mental health facilities: the Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi, the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health in Assam, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru.

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Reference:

Steps Taken to Strengthen Mental Healthcare Services - (https:pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2043511)

Source-IANS