Mental health in State in need of proper treatment

[The Desi DISpatch]

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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