*Kountenya Sinha* *January 22, 2011*
*NEW DELHI*: By 2020, nearly 15% of the world's disease burden will be due to mental disorders. Calling it a matter of great concern, with such disorders still grossly overlooked in India and with its awareness low even among healthcare professionals, Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said about 20% of all patients seen by primary health care doctors have one or more mental disorder. One in four families is likely to have at least one member with a behavioural or mental disorder. "Together these disorders accounted for 10.5% of the global burden of disease in 1990 which increased to 12% in 2000, according to trends in the World Health Report-2001. By 2020, it will increase to 15% of the burden," Azad said. So how bad is the situation in India? Currently, India has just 23% of the required psychiatrists, 25% of required psychiatric nurses and only 3% of the required clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers. This means India presently has 3,500 psychiatrists, 500 clinical psychologists, 300 psychiatric social workers and about a 1,000 psychiatric nurses. As against 30,000 beds required for the mentally ill, there are only about 200 beds at present. "Even by very conservative yardstick, there is therefore a shortage of about 8,000 psychiatrists, 17,000 clinical psychologists, 23,000 psychiatric social workers and 9,000 psychiatric nurses," Azad said. A note prepared by the ministry says, "7% of the Indian population suffers from mental disorders. Over 90% remain untreated. There is less than one psychiatrist for every four lakh population." That's why the ministry is now developing 11 institutions as centres of excellence in mental health which will add 44 psychiatrists, 176 clinical psychologists, 176 psychiatric social workers and 220 psychiatric nurses annually. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7338363.cms -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
