50 million suffering from mental disorders in country
NEW DELHI: Around 50 million people suffer from mental disorders including depression and anxiety, and more than 7,000 of them committed suicide last year, government said.
"In 2005, the National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health reported that 10-20 million (1%-2%) suffered from severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and nearly 50 million (5% of population) from common mental disorders like depression and anxiety, yielding an overall estimate of 6.5% of population," health minister J P Nadda informed Lok Sabha.
The latest data released by NCRB shows suicides due to mental health remain almost unchanged in last few years. "As per the accidental deaths and suicides in India reports published by National Crime Records Bureau, the incidents of suicides due to mental illness in 2012 was 7,769, 2013 was 8,006 and 2014 was 7,104," Nadda said.
The latest data released by NCRB shows suicides due to mental health remain almost unchanged in last few years. "As per the accidental deaths and suicides in India reports published by National Crime Records Bureau, the incidents of suicides due to mental illness in 2012 was 7,769, 2013 was 8,006 and 2014 was 7,104," Nadda said.
The government has recently brought out a mental health policy to promote mental health, prevent mental illness, and enable recovery from mental illness.
He also informed that there are 3,800 psychiatrists, 898 clinical psychologists, 850 psychiatric social workers and 1,500 psychiatric nurses in the country.
There are three centrally-run mental health institutes, 40 state-run mental hospitals and 398 departments of psychiatry in various medical colleges across the country equipped to treat such patients, he said.
To address the acute shortage of qualified mental health professionals in the country, government is implementing manpower development schemes for establishment of centres for excellence and strengthening and establishing post graduate departments in mental health specialities," he said.
Till date support has been provided for establishment of 11 centres for excellence and strengthening and establishing 27 PG departments, the minister informed.The government has approved a proposal for establishment of ten additional centres of excellence and support to strengthen and establish 93 PG departments and expansion of district mental health programme to 550 districts in the country during 12th Five Year plan," he said.
To address the acute shortage of qualified mental health professionals in the country, government is implementing manpower development schemes for establishment of centres for excellence and strengthening and establishing post graduate departments in mental health specialities," he said.
Till date support has been provided for establishment of 11 centres for excellence and strengthening and establishing 27 PG departments, the minister informed.The government has approved a proposal for establishment of ten additional centres of excellence and support to strengthen and establish 93 PG departments and expansion of district mental health programme to 550 districts in the country during 12th Five Year plan," he said.