BHUBANESWAR: Rabindra Naik (38) of Khunta area in Mayurbhanj district was
confined in a small room by his family members for more than two decades after
he developed mental illness.
Unable to bear the cost of treatment, his mother had to keep him in confinement
as she feared he may cause harm to people, if freed.
Recently, the local administration came to his rescue and treated the man, who
by then had lost the better part of his youth due to lack of treatment. Like
Rabindra, many in the State are still deprived of treatment due to poor
financial conditions and several others abandoned by their families.
With urbanisation taking its toll, people, especially the working class, are
suffering from acute stress and depression which are the two major factors for
rise in number of mentally ill patients in the State, said Health experts.
Santanu Das, a physician, said depression accounts for around 3 per cent of the
total disease burden.
There has been a 50 per cent increase in the burden contributed by stress and
depression in the last 20 years and it is projected to increase further during
next two decades for epidemiological and demographic transitions, he said.
Despite the high prevalence rate of mental illness, as per an estimation, 60 to
73 persons per thousand population are suffering from mental disorders and 80
per cent of them are not getting proper treatment. Though the Mental Health
Act exists since 1993, it is yet to be part of primary healthcare in the State.
Most district-level hospitals too do not have psychiatrists to deal with cases
of mental illness and patients suffer due to shortage of doctors and lack of
resources.
Despite repeated demands since 2012, a Super Speciality Institute of Mental
Health and Neuro Sciences at Cuttack on the lines of Bengaluru-based National
Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) is yet to get the
Centre’s nod.
Meanwhile, the State Government is planning to expand district mental health
programme and give free medicines for the first time under Niramaya scheme.
Health Secretary Arti Ahuja said budgetary provision has been made for mental
health and doctors in districts trained to treat mentally ill patients. “So
far, 27 doctors have been trained and they will be posted in district
headquarters hospitals soon,” she said.
The State Mental Authority (SMA) has also decided to go for listing of mentally
ill destitutes and establishment of a rehabilitation centre at Cuttack besides
developing a protocol and standard operating procedure.
newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/Mental-health-in-State-in-need-of-proper-treatment/2016/06/09/article3473452.ece
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