Yerwada mental hospital to be developed as a centre of excellence for paramedics

Indian Express: In a move to increase manpower in the field of psychiatry, the Centre has accepted the project of Pune’s regional mental hospital, located at Yerawada, to develop it as a centre of excellence. Paramedical courses will be started from this academic year to train psychiatric social workers while a geriatric centre, child mental health clinic and family wards are in the pipeline.

“Apart from Pune, nearly 10 other centres of excellence will be developed in the country,” said Dr Vilas Bailume, senior psychiatrist at the Pune regional mental hospital and in-charge of the centre of excellence project.

“Nearly 79 per cent of the population suffers from major mental illnesses,” said Dr Sanjay Kumawat, member-secretary of the Maharashtra state mental health programme. There is a demand for an approximate 35,000 psychiatrists while there are only 3,500 now. Also, these psychiatrists are located at urban centres.

“By 2020, depression will be the second largest illness,” Kumawat said. “Hence at the state mental health department, the strategy is to set up training institutes at various hospitals to create a pool of manpower.”

According to Bailume, the project is estimated to cost Rs 30 crore and it will involve setting up institutes offering post-graduate courses in psychiatric nursing, psychiatric social worker, clinical psychology and others. Initially, a paramedical course will commence for psychiatric social worker.

The hospital authorities are now seeking affiliation from the University of Pune and others for its courses. “We also have to prepare a list of faculty and then decide how many students can be taken for the course,” says Bailume.

Bailume said there are also plans to start a geriatric centre for the old mentally-ill patients, a child mental health clinic and family wards for relatives of patients.

Kumawat also said nearly one lakh people, suffering from depression, attempt suicide in India. “This is one of the reasons why the government has given directives to set up community mental health centres. We intend to train local nurses and doctors to address this problem. According to WHO, at least 75 per cent of mentally-ill patients continue to receive treatment from traditional healers,” Kumawat said.

“Research also says there is a need among communities for good mental health services, particularly which can address psycho social problems,” he said.

More articles by The Desk

• Mahindra’s ‘World-SUV’ to roll out of new Chakan plant - March 15th, 2010
• Six-laning of highway from Dehu Road to Satara to begin by end of year - March 15th, 2010
• Mula river's hyacinth is a nuisance - March 15th, 2010
• Alphonso traders pin hopes on Gudi Padva - March 15th, 2010
• MSRTC hikes bus fares - March 15th, 2010

Also see:

• May 13, 2009 -- Inmates of Yerwada Jail join hands to form self help groups (1)
• November 24, 2009 -- Mothers are taking English lessons to understand their kids (0)
• September 11, 2009 -- Yerwada slums will be the first in the country to get JNNURM facility (0)
• March 10, 2009 -- Tree cutting increases rapidly along the Mula-Mutha side of Yerwada (1)