{"id":36814,"date":"2025-02-04T19:10:11","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T13:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=36814"},"modified":"2025-08-07T15:23:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:53:07","slug":"eliminating-elitism-in-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/04-02-2025\/eliminating-elitism-in-mental-health","title":{"rendered":"Eliminating Elitism in Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health; Government Policy and Interventions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Union Budget 2025-26<\/strong> has made significant strides in <strong>addressing mental health<\/strong>, allocating \u20b999,858.56 crore to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare&nbsp; (MoH&amp;FW) underscores the government&#8217;s recognition of health as a critical pillar of national development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Key Allocations for Mental Health in the Union Budget 2025-26<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>National Tele Mental Health Programme:<\/strong> The budget has allocated \u20b979.6 crore to this program, which aims to provide accessible mental health services across the country.<br>&#8211; <strong>National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS):<\/strong> It is expected to enhance research and treatment facilities, strengthening India&#8217;s capacity to address complex mental health challenges.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Mental Health<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the <strong>World Health Organization (WHO),<\/strong> mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which individuals realize their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and make meaningful contributions to their communities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Potential Reasons Mental Health Disorders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exposure to <strong><em>unfavorable social, economic, geopolitical and environmental circumstances<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 including poverty, violence, inequality and environmental deprivation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Early adverse life experiences, <\/strong>such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use of <strong>alcohol or drugs<\/strong>, having feelings of loneliness or isolation, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dysfunctional family relationships<\/strong> and lack of support systems can negatively impact mental health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Burden of Mental Health Disorders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global: <\/strong>In 2019, an estimated 970 million people were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression being the most common.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These conditions can lead to significant distress, impairment in functioning, and an increased risk of self-harm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The economic consequences of mental health disorders are significant, with productivity losses often outweighing the direct costs of care.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>15% of India\u2019s adult population <\/strong>suffered from mental disorder (national study);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mental Morbidity: <\/strong>Higher in urban metro regions (13.5%) as compared to rural areas (6.9%) and urban non-metro areas (4.3%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Mental Health Care<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Socio-Economic Factors:<\/strong> Socio-economic conditions such as <strong><em>poverty, unemployment, and food security<\/em><\/strong> impact the mental health conditions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Social Discrimination: <\/strong>Stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations further exacerbate the challenges faced by individuals with mental health conditions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Budgetary Allocations: <\/strong>National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) has faced budgetary ambiguities. In recent years, its <strong>funding has been merged under broader health programs<\/strong>, making it difficult to determine the exact allocation for NMHP.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treatment Gap: <\/strong>70% to 92%; More pronounced among blue-collar workers, who often face demanding jobs, unsafe work environments, and a lack of adequate legislative and policy protections.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is particularly <strong>wide in low- and middle-income countries<\/strong>, where mental health services are often under-resourced and of poor quality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited Scope of Existing Policies &amp; Regulations:<\/strong> The <strong>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020)<\/strong>, for instance, focuses primarily on physical safety, excluding mental well-being and preventive measures.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Similarly, the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-05-2021\/social-security-code-2020\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-05-2021\/social-security-code-2020\">Code on Social Security (2020) <\/a><\/strong>does not recognize mental strain as a compensable injury, further exacerbating the disparity in mental health care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mental Healthcare Act of 2017<\/strong> enshrines access to mental health as <strong>a statutory right<\/strong>, over 11 crore people in India still suffer from mental health disorders, with <strong>80% not seeking help.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Steps Towards Inclusive Mental Health Care<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Policy Reforms:<\/strong> Governments need to revise existing policies to include mental health as a critical component of occupational safety and health.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes recognizing mental strain as a compensable injury and providing adequate support for mental health care.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Awareness and Education<\/strong>: Public awareness campaigns and educational programs can help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues and encourage individuals to seek help when needed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community-Based Programs:<\/strong> Implementing community-based mental health programs can ensure that mental health services are accessible to underserved populations.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These programs can provide early detection, treatment, and support for individuals with mental health disorders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Training and Capacity Building:<\/strong> Training healthcare professionals and community workers in mental health care can improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes providing training to general physicians, health workers, and other frontline workers to identify and address mental health issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collaboration and Partnerships:<\/strong> Collaboration between government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector entities can help create a comprehensive and inclusive mental health care system.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These partnerships can leverage resources and expertise to address the mental health needs of diverse populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>WHO&#8217;s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2030): <\/strong>It aims to improve mental health by strengthening governance, providing community-based care, implementing promotion and prevention strategies, and strengthening information systems, evidence, and research.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It emphasizes the importance of integrating mental health into primary health care to ensure that individuals receive the care they need.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role of Community-Based Programs: <\/strong>These programs can provide early detection, treatment, and support for individuals with mental health disorders, particularly in underserved populations.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By engaging with communities and raising awareness about mental health, these programs can help reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek help when needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Steps Taken by the Government of India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Mental Health Programme (NMHP)<\/strong>: India has implemented <strong>various initiatives<\/strong> to improve access to mental health care under it.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These include the establishment of <strong>25 Centres of Excellence<\/strong> to increase the intake of students in mental health specialties and the launch of the <strong>National Tele Mental Health Programme<\/strong> to provide quality mental health counseling and care services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>District Mental Health Programme <\/strong>(component of the NMHP) has been sanctioned for<strong> implementation in 767 districts<\/strong>, providing training to specialist and non-specialist cadres and offering outpatient services, assessment, counseling, and continuing care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Comprehensive Primary Health Care:<\/strong> Upgradation of more than 1.73 lakh <strong>Sub Health Centres (SHCs)<\/strong> and<strong> Primary Health Centres (PHCs)<\/strong> to <strong>Ayushman Arogya Mandirs<\/strong>, where mental health services have been added.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP)<\/strong>: It aims to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care. A total of <strong>53 Tele MANAS Cells<\/strong> are operational across 36 states \/union territories.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manodarpan Initiative:<\/strong> An initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, aims to provide psycho-social support to students for their mental health and well-being.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kiran Helpline: <\/strong>The helpline is a step towards suicide prevention, and can help with support and crisis management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion and Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Budget 2025-26 represents a significant step towards improving mental health care in India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By increasing funding for key programs and institutions, the government has demonstrated its commitment to addressing mental health challenges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, continued efforts are needed to ensure transparency in funding allocations and to address the socio-economic factors that contribute to mental health issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Discuss the impact of elitism in mental health care on underserved populations and propose strategies to eliminate this disparity, ensuring equitable access to mental health services for all individuals.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/eliminating-elitism-in-mental-health\/article69176622.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-4-February-2025.pdf.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Union Budget 2025-26 has made significant strides in addressing mental health, allocating \u20b999,858.56 crore to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare\u00a0 (MoH&#038;FW) underscores the government&#8217;s recognition of health as a critical pillar of national development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36814"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50675,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36814\/revisions\/50675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}