Lok Sabha Question No. 3304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-05
Subject: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to Children
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Suresh Kodikunnil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3304 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH  AUGUST, 2022

## POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER TO CHILDREN

## 3304.  SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  children  who  lost  their  parents  due  to  COVID  pandemic  are  reported  to  be expressing abnormal grief and post-traumatic stress disorder;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the steps being taken by the Government to ensure their psychological well being;
- (c) whether the Government has data regarding total number of children who have lost both or one parent due to COVID, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to ensure their continued education and financial stability?

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

(a)  &  (b):  Realizing  the  impact  that  COVID-19  may have on the mental health of the people, including children, the Government has set up a 24/7 helpline to provide psychosocial support, by  mental  health  professionals,  to  the  entire  affected  population,  divided  into  different  target groups  viz  children,  students,  adult,  elderly,  women  and  healthcare  workers.  In  addition, guidelines/ advisories on management of mental health issues, catering to different segments of the society have also been issued by the Government.

Further, Government of India implements the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) as well as District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under NMHP in 704 districts of the country. Under DMHP, sufficient funds are provided to each district supported under the Programme for targeted interventions with the following objectives:

- (i) To provide facilitative skill to class teachers to promote life skill among their students.
- (ii) To  provide  the  knowledge  and  skills  to  class  teachers  to  identify  emotional  conduct, scholastic and substance use problems in their students
- (iii) To provide a system of referral for students with psychological problems in schools to the District Mental Health Team for inputs and treatment.
- (iv) To involve other stakeholders like parents, community leaders to enhance development of adolescents etc.

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.

(c) & (d): As per the Ministry of Women and Child Development, a total of 10,386 children who have lost both their parents due to any reason, including COVID-19 since 1st April, 2020, have been registered on 'Bal Swaraj' Portal.

The  Government  has  launched  the  PM  CARES  for  Children Scheme  with  an  aim  to  support children  who  have  lost  both  the  Parents  or  legal  Guardian  or  Adoptive  Parents  or  Surviving Parent to COVID-19 pandemic during the period starting from 11th March 2020. The objective of the Scheme is to ensure comprehensive care and protection of Children in a sustained manner, and  enable  their  well  being  through  health  insurance,  empower  them  through  education  and equip them for self-sufficient existence with financial support on reaching 23 years of age. The assistance provided to children under the Scheme include:

- (i) Support for Boarding and Lodging
- (ii) Assistance for Pre-school and School Education
- (iii) Assistance for Higher Education
- (iv) Financial Support provides for:
- (a) The lump sum amount transferred directly in the post office account of beneficiaries upon opening and validation of the account of the beneficiaries. A pro-rata amount credited upfront in the account of each identified beneficiary such that the corpus for each beneficiary becomes Rs. 10 lakhs at the time of attaining 18 years of age
- (b) Provision  of  monthly  stipend  once  they  attain  18  years  of  age  (by  investing  the corpus of Rs.10 lakhs) till the age of 23 years.
- (c) Release of an amount of Rs. 10 lakh on attaining 23 years of age.

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