Date:18/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/18/stories/2006101816850500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Severe shortage of doctors affecting psychiatry care

Special Correspondent

There are only 197 psychiatrists in the State

Only 62 clinical psychologists present as against 762

Community care more effective in tackling the issue

Bangalore: Access to quality psychiatric treatment is confined to cities like Bangalore while Karnataka may have 5.27 lakh persons with major mental illness. The number of those with minor mental disorders is estimated at 26.36 lakh.

Karnataka is considered to be in the forefront of mental health care because of the presence of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), a deemed university, located in Bangalore. One of the oldest mental hospitals in the region is in Dharwad, functioning for 100 years. But only 1,341 beds are available in government hospitals and 1,113 in private hospitals.

According to studies by organisations like Association of People with Disability (APD), Association for Promotion Social Action (APS) and others working with people who need psychiatric care, the available human resource do not meet actual needs. Only 198 psychiatrists are available in the State against the ideal requirement of 527.

The need for clinical psychologists is 762 and 69 are available; the number of available psychiatric nurses is 175 against 245 needed.

Human rights

These organisations have found that persons with mental illness and their families suffer a lot.

They are among the most marginalised and subject to various human rights violations. They are either ill treated even in hospitals or left wandering on the streets and subject to sexual and other abuse.

The new thinking on mental health at the national and international levels is to make the services of health care professionals community based rather than institution or hospital based. Community care is believed to be more cost effective as well as humane, promoting greater understanding and acceptance of people with mental illness.

This can lead to early identification, quicker recovery and even a productive life with dignity.

Basic training of medical personnel at primary and secondary public health care centres, providing free psychiatric medications according to WHO norms and programmes for recovered mentally ill persons had been suggested by the voluntary organisations.

Other needs may be for the community mental health care workers with population based norms, establishing half-way homes, and access to disability certificates as in the case of those with physical disabilities.