Lok Sabha Question No. 3814 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-25
Subject: Shortage of Psychiatrists
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3814 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  MARCH, 2022

## SHORTAGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS

## 3814.   SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of acute shortage and disproportionate distribution of psychiatrists in the country particularly in rural areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the necessary corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the ratio of psychiatrists to population and its impact on the healthcare sector in the country;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  rope  in  ASHAs,  mid-wives  and  other  community health workers to bridge the shortage; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor?

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

(a)  to  (c):  As  per  the  National  Mental  Health  Survey  conducted  by  the  National  Institute  of Mental  Health  and  Neurosciences  (NIMHANS),  Bengaluru  in  12  States  of  the  country,  the treatment gap for mental disorders ranged between 70% to 92 % for different disorders. As per the Survey, the availability of psychiatrists in the 12 surveyed States ranged between 0.05 to 1.2 (per lakh population).

With a  view  to  augment  the  availability  of  qualified  manpower  in  field  of  mental  health,  the Government, under the National Mental Health Programme  (NMHP),  is implementing manpower development schemes for establishment of Centres of Excellence and strengthening/ establishment of Post Graduate (PG) Departments in mental health specialties. Till date, support has been provided for establishment of 25 Centres of Excellence and strengthening/ establishment of 47 Post Graduate (PG) Departments in mental health specialties in the country.

The Government is also augmenting the availability of manpower to deliver mental healthcare services in the underserved areas of the country by providing online training courses to various categories  of  general  healthcare  medical  and  para  medical  professionals  through  the  Digital

Academies established at the three Central Mental Health Institutes namely 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.

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.

(d)  & (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.

Further,  the  Government  is  implementing  NMHP  and  District  Mental  Health  Programme (DMHP) in this direction  of  community  based  care  as  the  services  are  made  available  in  the district  headquarters  and  more  peripheral  health  centres.  Medical  Officers  and  the  field  level workers of the PHCs and the other staff of the primary care settings are getting trained to identify and treat psychiatric disorders present in the community. Further, the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres are implementing the 'Comprehensive Primary Health Care' initiatives of which 'mental health' is an indispensable part.

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