Question : Mental Hospitals

(a) the estimated number of patients suffering from mental diseases in the country;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any assessment in this regard and if so, the details thereof along with the outcome thereof;
(c) whether there is a lack of mental hospitals in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has conducted any assessment in respect of States where there is no mental health hospitals and if so, the State/UT-wise details thereof along with the reasons therefor; and
(e) the corrective steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) & (b): As per the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2016, conducted by the Government through National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru in 12 States of the country, the prevalence of mental disorders in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%.

(c) to (e): The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 provides for integration of mental health services into general healthcare services at all levels of healthcare including primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare and in all health programmes run by the appropriate Government. As such, the mental healthcare services are extended through various levels of healthcare delivery systems.

As per the available information, there are 47 Government run mental hospitals in the country, including 3 Central Mental Health Institutions, viz. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam and Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi. Department of Psychiatry has also been set up in each of the newly established All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and similar provision has been made in the new AIIMS. Similarly, many other Central as well as State Government hospitals also have Psychiatry Departments.

In addition to the above, steps have also been taken by the Government to strengthen mental healthcare services at the primary healthcare level. Mental healthcare services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care under Ayushman Bharat HW Scheme. Operational guidelines on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Health and Wellness Centers (HWC) have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

Further, to provide affordable and accessible mental healthcare facilities to the population, including the poor and underprivileged, the Government is implementing National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 704 districts for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre(CHC) and Primary Health Centre(PHC) levels, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc. In addition to above services there is a provision of 10 bedded in-patient facility at the District level.

Besides the above, the Government has announced a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” in the Budget of 2022-23, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country.

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