Bhopal: Mental health provision in Union Budget

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Doctors have demanded that the government appoint psychiatrists at the district level to treat mental illness. They also said that it should be incorporated as a subject in the MBBS course so that when students faint, they identify mental health issues. The Union budget has proposed teleconsultation to address mental health problems.

With IIT Bangalore and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in the driving seat, one can expect professionalism and results. But the budget does not mention whether the mental health strategy would focus on all psychological problems or only those that arose in the wake of covid.

Many mental health conditions encompass disorders that are not amenable to teleconsultation. The budget has a purpose: to make society aware that such conditions can affect anyone, but the disease can be treated and patients should not be stigmatized.

Dr. Ruma Bhattacharya, Elected Councilor Member of the Indian Psychiatric Society, said: “At the MBBS level, students should be taught psychiatry so that the MBBS swoon identifies mental health problems. Currently, there is one psychiatrist for every 10 lakh population in the country. So the government will have to work at the grassroots level to solve mental health problems.”

Amulya Nidhi, a health expert, said that it is 7% less than budget allocation with reference to inflation. The Union budget has allocated Rs 89,251 crore in 2022-23, which is overall 7% less budget allocation in the health sector. The budget of the National Health Mission (NHM) has also been reduced.

Most of the budget allocation is for insurance coverage. Mental health problems cannot be solved by teleconsultation alone and psychiatrists must be appointed at the district level. Mental health problems are increasing at an alarming rate post-Covid.”

Posted on: Saturday, February 5, 2022 at 20:27 IST