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In the wake of the rise in mental health issues, Maharashtra health authorities have stepped up efforts to address the shortfall of Class I psychiatrists across its four regional mental hospitals.
As per official data, nine of the 13 Class 1 posts for psychiatrists are vacant at Pune’s Regional Mental Hospital, while three of six Class I posts have to be filled in Thane. Of the nine Class I posts at Nagpur’s Regional Mental Hospital, three are vacant. The senior psychiatrist post was filled only recently at Ratnagiri Regional Mental Hospital.
World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10 every year, focusses on the importance of mental well-being.
Although the state has made efforts to shift focus from long stay at mental hospitals to community-based rehabilitation, officials said the main issue is that the number of mental health professionals remains inadequate as per the demand.
In Maharashtra, presently there are 960 mentally ill patients admitted in Pune’s Regional Mental Hospital, 760 in Thane, 465 in Nagpur and 129 in Ratnagiri.
As per the National Mental Health Survey 2015–16, at least 10.6 per cent adults suffer mental disorders in India, and the treatment gap for mental disorders ranged between 70 and 92 per cent for different disorders. The World Health Organization states that there should be at least three practicing psychiatrists per one lakh population, and hence as per National Mental Health Survey, India has about 0.75 psychiatrists per one lakh population.
Dr Sunil Patil, superintendent, Regional Mental Hospital in Yerawada, Pune, said the focus is towards rehabilitation of patients with mental illness who have recovered. “We have 2,500 beds at RMH in Pune and presently 960 patients. Over the years we have been successful in rehabilitating patients with their families. We are also addressing the shortfall of senior psychiatrists,” he said. Efforts are now on to introduce the first phase of the Rs 132-crore RMH project to be modelled along lines of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). “Work will begin soon across the 84 acre campus,” Dr Patil told The Indian Express.
Dr Swapnil Lale, CEO of State Mental Health Authority, said they were focused on decentralising mental health care. A 7–member team of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and others has been set up at district hospitals where a 10-bed psychiatric ward can be set up. Hence the burden is reduced on mental health hospitals which will be upgraded to regional institutes of psychiatry and allied sciences. “We have also proposed 2 MD Psychiatry seats for Pune and Nagpur to Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. Another proposal has also been submitted for an MSC course in clinical psychology as an effort to create trained manpower,” Dr Lale added. Manshakti (Power of Mind) clinics have been set up at 1,400 primary health centers in the state, Dr Lale added.
