Question : MENTAL HEALTHCARE .

(a) Whether the number of patients affected by mental disorders is on the rise in the country if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor, State/UT-wise;

(b) the details of the activities undertaken, funds allocated and utilized and the extent to which success achieved under the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise;

(c) the details of the mental hospitals, colleges and institutes upgraded/proposed to be upgraded indicating the funds allocated for the purpose during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to restructure NMHP to scale up mental healthcare services and launch it across the country, if so, the details thereof and the financial modalities worked out for the purpose; and

(e) the efforts being made by the Government to increase the number of mental healthcare professionals, hospitals and institutes in the country?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 178 FOR 18TH JULY, 2014

In 2005, the National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health reported that 10-20 million (1-2% of population) suffered from severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and nearly 50 million (5% of population) from common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, yielding an overall estimate of 6.5 per cent of the population.

To address the burden of mental disorders and acute shortage of qualified professionals in the field of mental health, Government of India has been implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) since 1982 with the following components:

i. District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)

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

iii. Modernization of Govt. Mental Hospitals During the 11th Five Year Plan, the National Mental Health Programme has been restructured to include additional components like suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counseling in schools and colleges and Manpower Development Schemes.

With the objective to address the shortage of mental health professionals in the country, 11 Centers of Excellence in Mental Health and 27 PG training departments in mental health specialties to increase the PG training capacity in mental health as well as improving the tertiary care treatment facility have been funded. 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.

The programme also provided for upgradation of Psychiatry wings of Govt. Medical Colleges/ General Hospitals, modernization of State run Mental Hospitals, support for Central/ State Mental Health Authorities, Research and Training and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities etc.

Achievements made in the mental health sector due to the efforts made under the NMHP are:

a.District Mental Health Programme with added components of Life Skills Education and Counseling in Schools and Colleges, suicide prevention services etc. is currently under implementation in 192 Districts of the country.

b.Up-gradation of 88 Psychiatric Wings of Government Medical Colleges has been supported under the Scheme.

c.Modernization of 29 Government Mental Hospitals has been supported under the Scheme.

d.Establishment of 11 Centers of Excellence in Mental Health and 27 PG training departments in mental health specialties

In order to scale up mental healthcare services and launch it across the country during the 12th Five Year Plan, the National Mental Health Programme has been restructured to be implemented separately at tertiary and district levels. The District Mental Health Programme and other activities to be implemented at District levels have already been approved for implementation. Also, the implementation of various tertiary level activities under NMHP including the Manpower Development Schemes have been approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee.

Besides, three Central Institutions viz. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur and Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi have been strengthened for augmenting the human resources in the area of mental health and for capacity building in the country.

Further, health being a State subject, the establishment of new mental health hospitals and institutes in the districts/ areas not covered is the responsibility of the concerned State Government.

The details of funds allocated and utilized under NMHP during last three financial years and the current financial year are at Annexure-I. The details of funds released under NMHP Scheme wise/ State wise/ UT wise during the last three years and the current year are at Annexure-II. The details of funds provided for upgradation of psychiatric wings of Govt. Medical Colleges/ General Hospitals, modernization of State run Mental Hospitals and establishment of 11 Centers of Excellence in Mental Health and 27 PG training departments in mental health specialties are at Annexure-III.