(a) whether the Union Government proposes to review the contents of the National Mental
Health Programme;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken to post more psychiatrists in the hospitals
to provide better care facilities to the patients; and
(d) the patient-psychiatrists ratio in the country at present?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. ANBUMANI RAMDOSS)
(a)&(b): Yes, Sir. The Govt. proposes to re-strategise the National Mental Health Programme
in 11th Five Year Plan to cover the areas of suicide prevention, stress management, school
mental health etc. and also to create infrastructure for production of quality manpower/
training of personnel etc. for effective delivery of mental health services.
(c)&(d): The per-capita practicing psychiatrists work out to 1 Psychiatrist per 4,50,000
population approximately, as assessed during the mental health resources survey carried
out in May, 2002. The shortage of psychiatrists and mental health professional is being
addressed in the re-strategised National Mental Health Programme for the 11th Five Year
Plan by having short-term training for general health care personnel. Also more teaching
institutes on the pattern of NIMHANS are being planned at regional level so that adequate
number of psychiatrists is available.