The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Institute of Mental Health to become centre of excellence

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Saturday, Jan 06, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Institute of Mental Health to become centre of excellence

Staff Reporter

Anbumani addressed Indian Psychiatric Society's meet "Centre to invest in modernising 36 mental health institutions"

CHENNAI : The Institute of Mental Health in Chennai will be one of the six mental health institutions to be upgraded as regional centres of excellence, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said on Thursday. Addressing an annual conference of the Indian Psychiatric Society, he said Rs. 3 crore would be extended to the Chennai institution as an initial measure. The other centres of excellence are in Bangalore, Ranchi, Chandigarh, Guwahati and Nagpur.

According to the Minister, the move is part of a major programme to revamp institutional infrastructure for mental health care across the country.

The Union Government would also invest in modernising the 36 mental health institutions in the country, Dr. Anbumani said. It is estimated that among the high proportions of people who suffered from some forms of psychiatric disorder, at least 1.5 per cent had a severe problem. In other words, nearly 1.50 crore people needed hospitalisation for their illnesses. However, the bed strength in the country was just around 10,000, he said. Under the prevailing ratio, there was only one psychiatrist per three lakh of the population and in rural areas there was one psychiatrist per million of the population, Dr. Anbumani added.

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