Lok Sabha Question No. 1528 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Mental Illness in Rural Areas
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1528 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH JULY, 2023

## MENTALILLNESS IN RURALAREAS

## 1528. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

## Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that only 10-12 per cent of people in need of mental healthcare in rural India have access to appropriate services;
- (b) if so, the details of the initiatives taken by the Government to address the shortage of mental health professionals;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that nearly 80 per cent of respondents in rural areas believe mental illness to be result of supernatural causes rather than a medical condition;
- (d) if so, the details of the initiatives taken by the Government in this regard to address the stigma surrounding mental health issues in rural areas;
- (e) whether the Government has taken any initiative to address the high prevalence of depression among rural women; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (PROF. SATYA PAL SINGH BAGHEL)

- (a) & (b) 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 treatment gap for mental disorders ranged between 70% to 92% for different disorders.

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. Mental Health Services are also provisioned for 22 AIIMS. These services are also available under PMJAY.

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.

- (c) to (f) As per the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2016, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru in 12 States of the country, the prevalence of mental disorders in adults over the age of 18 years is about 10.6%. Further, as per the Survey, the prevalence of mental morbidity is higher in urban metro regions (13.5%) as compared to rural areas (6.9%) and urban non-metro areas (4.3%).

To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities are an integral part of the NMHP. At the District level, sufficient funds are provided to each District under the DMHP under the Noncommunicable Diseases flexi-pool of National Health Mission for IEC and awareness generation activities in the community, schools, workplaces, with community involvement. Under the DMHP various IEC activities such as awareness messages in local newspapers and radio, street plays, wall paintings etc. are undertaken by the States/UTs.

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 738 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.

In addition to the above, Mental health services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care under Ayushman Bharat -HWC Scheme. Operational guidelines on Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders (MNS) at Health and Wellness Centres (HWC) have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.

Besides the above, the Government has launched a ' National Tele Mental Health Programme ' on 10th October, 2022, to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 18.07.2023, 31 States/ UTs have set up 42 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services. More than 1,94,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.