Lok Sabha Question No. 3201 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-09
Subject: Tele-Mental  Health Programme
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Raja A

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3201 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 TH AUGUST, 2024

## TELE-MENTALHEALTH PROGRAMME

## 3201. SHRI RAJA A:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government conducted any survey to find the percentage of people affected by mental illness in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the access to mental health facilities and professionals is hindered by inadequate infrastructure and specialist doctors in rural areas;
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken in this regard, area-wise;
- (e) whether any review has been made on the effectiveness of National Tele-Mental Health Programme which was launched two years back; and
- (f) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to make it more effective and popular in the rural areas in the country?

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

- (a) to (f) As per the National Mental Health Survey conducted by the Government through National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore in 12 States of the country, the prevalence of mental disorders including common mental disorders, severe mental disorders, and alcohol and substance use disorders (excluding tobacco use disorder) in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%.

For providing affordable and accessible mental healthcare facilities in the country, the Government 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, 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.

Under the tertiary care component of National Mental Health Programme, 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. Mental Health Services are also provisioned for in 22 new All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS).

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. Operational guidelines on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

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, since 2018, 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 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.

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