According to the data obtained by the civic body, in 2020, amid the pandemic, cases of mental illness have increased. More than 41,159 patients availed OPD treatment for mental ailments. Mumbai suburb is a highly-populated area, but data showed that only 10,488 of them went for OPD treatment, while in Mumbai 30,671 availed the OPD facility. Most patients were dependent on KEM, Sion and Nair Hospitals.

The number of patients struggling due to the unavailability of psychiatrists was increasing. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had announced to invest Rs 25 crore to establish yoga centres for “the mental well being” of the public, but still, 16 peripheral hospitals remained ignored with an acute scarcity of mental health professionals.

Dr Harish Shetty, a psychiatrist with Hinduja Hospital, said that people were not ready to accept the fact that they may be mentally ill and the treatment challenges increased with limited accessibility

Shatabdi Hospital, also known as Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar (BDBA) Hospital, had only one post for psychiatrist which was lying vacant after the retirement of a psychiatrist last year. Sant Muktabai (Ghatkopar), Maa (Chembur), KB Bhabha (Kurla) and MT Agarwal (Mulund) hospitals were also facing scarcity of psychiatrists as the posts remained vacant.

Data revealed that no sanctioned posts for mental health professionals were there in a few peripheral hospitals such as Krantiveer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (Vikhroli), VN Desai (Santacruz East) and MW Desai (Malad).

Dr Avinash De Sousa, consultant psychiatrist and editor-in-chief of the Indian Journal of Mental Health stated that lack of accessibility was one of the main reasons why patients were reluctant for treatment. Mental illness was increasing among youth and the civic body needed to set up psychiatric wards in these peripheral hospitals which would help in rehabilitating the patients.

Dr Swati Rane, Founder Vice President, Clinical Nursing Research Society, and Visiting Faculty, Tata Institute of Social Sciences aid that in many instances doctors visiting the hospitals on honorary positions were paid less and appointing them on permanent positions and payroll would encourage the psychiatrist to work and help the patients.

Source: The Indian Express