The Government conducted the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) of India through the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru in 2016 as per which the prevalence of mental disorders in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%.

The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) has been sanctioned for implementation in 767 districts for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health Mission with the objectives that include suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counselling in schools and colleges. Facilities made available under DMHP at the District Hospitals, Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing 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.

Further, to enhance the capacity of mental health services in the country, the Government of India is implementing the NMHP. Under the Tertiary care component of NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the intake of students in PG departments in mental health specialities as well as to provide tertiary level treatment facilities. The Government has also supported to establish / strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialties in 19 Government medical colleges/institutions. Mental Health Services are also provisioned for in 22 new AIIMS.

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.

In addition to the above, the Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at primary healthcare level. The Government has upgraded more than 1.73 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

Besides the above, the Government has launched a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” (NTMHP) on 10th October, 2022, to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 23.07.2024, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services.  More than 11,76,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this  in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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HFW/ Steps taken to Strengthen Mental Healthcare Services/09 August 2024/1