NIMHANS-2 in North; institutes in Tezpur, Ranchi to be upgraded, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of a second NIMHANS in North India during the Union Budget 2026-2027.
• The existing National Mental Health Institutes in Tezpur and Ranchi will be upgraded to Regional Apex Institutions.
• The first NIMHANS was established in Bengaluru in 1974.
• A previous survey in 2015-16 indicated a 70% to 92% treatment gap in mental health conditions.

Detailed Insights:

• The establishment of a new NIMHANS aims to address the significant treatment gap in mental health, particularly in North India, where specialized central government hospitals are lacking.
• NIMHANS plays a crucial role in training specialists, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses, and contributes to developing human resources in the field of mental health.
• NIMHANS is involved in various national mental health initiatives, including the TeleMANAS programme and the second National Mental Health Survey, serving as a model center for mental healthcare.
• Upgrading the institutes in Tezpur and Ranchi will help cater to the mental health needs of people in the East and Central regions, complementing the services provided by NIMHANS in the South.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NIMHANS: A multidisciplinary institute for patient care and research in mental health and neurosciences.
• Treatment Gap: The disparity between the number of people who need mental health care and those who receive it.
• TeleMANAS: A tele-mental health assistance and networking across states program to provide mental health support.