With provisions of more professionals to tackle mental health and institutions, the new mental health policy to be launched by the Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday is likely to make treatment for the mentally ill easier.
Sources in the ministry revealed that the new mental health policy will have a provisions which will make it easier for any person who considers himself to have a mental illness to get admitted to a mental health policy without the orders of a magistrate as required.
To be launched on October 10, the date which will henceforth be observed as National Mental Health Day across India each year, the new policy includes safeguards and protection for the mentally unstable people. Initially, the health ministry has decided to upgrade infrastructure facilities in the mental hospitals, medical colleges and is also planning improve the intake of students into mental health education thereby increasing the manpower in all branches of mental health care.
According to the health ministry, the mental illness burden in the country is growing with about 20-30 million people in active need of mental health care.
There are about 37 mental hospitals across the country with 3,500 trained psychiatrists serving around 75,000 patients.
At present, the country suffers from a huge deficit of psychiatric staff in the mental hospitals.