Lok Sabha Question No. 3207 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: National Mental Health Policy
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Ms Sayani Ghosh

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3207 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH DECEMBER, 2024

## NATIONALMENTALHEALTH POLICY

## 3207. MS SAYANI GHOSH:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of elderly persons suffering from mental illness across the country;
- (b) the total number of such elderly persons who have been benefitted from National Mental Health Policy till date;
- (c) the total number of public psychiatric beds across the country, State-wise;
- (d) the number of psychiatrists per lakh people in the country; and
- (e) whether the Government has conducted any social audit of National Mental Health Policy launched in 2014 to assess its impact and efficiency, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SH. PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

- (a) to (e) As per National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted in 2016, the prevalence of mental disorders in elderly over the age of 60 years is about 15.1%.

The Government of India is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 767 districts for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre(CHC) and Primary Health Centre(PHC) levels for all including elderly, inter- alia, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psychosocial 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.

Government is also implementing the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE). The major activities of NPHCE include setting up of Geriatric Department in regional Geriatric Centres (RGC) with OPD care services and 30 bedded Geriatric Ward, setting up of Geriatric units at District Hospitals to provide specialized Geriatric Services including a 10 bedded Geriatric Ward, establishment of a rehabilitation unit at all Community Health Centres and Geriatric Clinics twice a week, setting up of weekly Geriatric Clinic by trained Medical Officers at Primary Health Centres and information, education and communication activities on healthy lifestyle, home care to the bed ridden and supporting devices for the needy elderly persons at sub-centre level.

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 and services for the elderly have been added in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Operational guidelines on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

The data regarding number of public psychiatric beds across the country, State/UT-wise, is not maintained centrally. There are 47 Government run mental hospitals in the country, including 3 Central Mental Health Institutions. The number of psychiatric beds available in three Central Mental Health Institutions, viz. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi and Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH), Tezpur is 1096, 643 and 336 beds respectively. Mental Health Services are also provisioned in all AIIMS. These services are also available under PMJAY.

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. Further, the Government has also supported 19 Government medical colleges/institutions to strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialties.

As per the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2016, conducted by the NIMHANS, Bengaluru in 12 States of the country, the availability of Psychiatrists in the NMHS states varied from 0.05 per lakh population in Madhya Pradesh to 1.2 per lakh population in Kerala.

Besides the above, the Government has launched a 'National Tele Mental Health Programme' on 10th October, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 22.11.2024, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services. More than 15,95,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.

The Government has also launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application on the occasion of World Mental Health Day - October 10, 2024. Tele-MANAS Mobile Application is a comprehensive mobile platform that has been developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from well being to mental disorders.

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