Prologue
Current affairs related to public health, during September Week1 to October Week3.
- Part1: Mother, Children, Hunger, Nutrition related.
- Part2: Policy / Mission: Mental health, Ayush. You’re here.
- Part3: “Selling” related: NPPA, Sravan, Cigar labelling.
National Mental Health Policy 2014
Topic in news | Oct W2, 2014. |
Relevance | (GSM2) Services relating to Health. |
Q. Examine the need for a national mental health policy and list the salient features of the new mental health policy 2014. 200 words.
Why need a new policy?
- During British-raj: Acts for Lunacy and Asylum. But they only dealt with “custody” while ignoring human rights of such patients.
- Late 80s: Government enacted Mental Health Act, but many deficiencies, hence not implemented.
- Hardly 3500 psychiatrists in country.
- Indian society still stigmatises patients with even curable psychiatric diseases. Therefore, relatives delay or deny the treatment.
- WHO predicts: by 2020, 20% of India’s population would suffer from some form of mental illness. (and the number likely rise further if Bollywood continues mindless remakes of South Indian movies and reality shows like Big Boss.)
Salient features of National Mental Health Policy 2014

Salient Features of National Mental Health Policy 2014
Affordable Access
- There is bi-directional relationship of mental illness and poverty.
- Therefore, policy will have pro-Poor focus besides creamy layer families can afford mental healthcare.
- Caregivers of mentally-ill patients, will be given financial support.
Manpower
- At district hospitals, new cadre of Government employees called “mental healthcare providers”.
- Auxiliary midwives will be given training for mental healthcare.
- New masters and diploma courses, to increase paramedics in mental healthcare.
Buildings
- Government will give fund to modernize existing hospitals, open mental healthcare wards in them.
- Each state will have a “center of excellence” on the lines of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore
- Will setup Small mental health centres within communities
- Will reform mental hospitals to ensure dignity and human rights of women, children and old people.
Execution
- Mental healthcare bill in 6 months.
- Mental Health Action Plan 365 with specific roles for the Centre, States, local bodies and civil society.
- Programs to combat drug abuse and alcoholism.
- Universal Health Assurance Mission (UHAM) will include mental illnesses.
De-stigmatization
- Attempted suicides will be decriminalized.
- October 10 to be observed as National Mental Health Day.
- Awareness campaigns
- To remove stigma associated with mental illness.
- To highlight the symptoms and remedies of depression, schizophrenia, bipolar syndrome.
National AYUSH mission (NAM)
Topic in news | SepW3, 2014. |
Relevance | (GSM2) Departments of the Government; Services relating to Health |
Ayush Department
- 1995: Government created a separate Department for Indian system of medicines.
- 2003: renamed it into AYUSH – Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy
- Latest addition: Sowa rigpa / Amchi. It is the traditional medicine system in Himachal and Ladakh.
- Ayush Department promotes education, awareness, research and quality control of these systems.
National Ayush Mission (NAM) 2014
Approved with following features:
- Increase in number of AYUSH:
- Education institutions and manpower
- Hospitals, pharmacies, labs, dispensaries
- Raw material and drugs
Penetrate AYUSH more in the far flung areas.
Benefits of AYUSH: cheap, flexible, less side effects, accepted by large public.
Thanx…
Guys..please share how are u managing this current affairs part..I am reading newspaper religiously.. But when mrunal bhai updates more than 60% of the topics seems new..please help guys..
Yes its difficult to manage for everyone but its important to focus on these CA from mrunal sir also, i think he uses variety of sources to publish one article so depth+background is touched, And Religiously following Newspaper is MUST…Dont worry about that too much i think no time, FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS to Clear the Civils…
Very Nice Article,I liked the flow.
Thanks Mrunal………….Nice Article
mental illness mission : good article and my fodder points to that article is
1. reason for probality to increase 20 % mental illness patients- previous article hidden hunger
2. food vs nutrient difference
3 capacity building between age of 1-6
solution
education system include curriculum for mental illness
inclusion of mental illness syllabus for general education system
providing extra college seats for psychiatric courses
reason I belive education and awareness having ultimate tendency to rectify all kinds of defect
thanks a ton , shivaram and mrunal
pls update current affair
NICE ARTICLE
Sir this z the good article but I won’t to ask is Ur given articles r sufficient. For study or nt bcz sr I like Ur artcl BT it z not si sufficient cn u plz hlp me in giveng other version
any new updates ….please