‘Shortage
of psychiatric
professionals in country’
Nearly five per cent of
the Indian population suffers from common mental disorders such as depression
and anxiety and the country is short of health professionals to address mental
issues, says Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, Secretary General of the World
Pshychiatric Association.Inaugurating the valedictory of World Mental Health
Week at Pushpagiri Medical College at Thiruvalla on Wednesday, he said that a
reply placed before the Lok Sabha by the Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare in December last year said that there were only 3,800 psychiatrists,
898 clinical psychologists, 850 psychiatric social workers, and 1,500
psychiatric nurses nationwide. As per the World Health Organisation standards,
India was short of 66,200 psychiatrists, he said.
Dr. Roy said hardly three
weeks’ clinical postings were dedicated to psychiatry during the MBBS course in
India. Dr G. Sukumaran, Professor of Medicine, said it was almost a taboo to
discuss mental health even in urban India and this attitude should change.
Prof. John Kurakar
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