National mental health survey launched in Chandigarh

Mohali: The department of community medicine and the department of psychiatry at GMCH-32 , Chandigarh, officially launched the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2 at Sood Bhawan, Sector 44A, on Thursday.

This nationwide initiative is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences ( NIMHANS ), Bengaluru, and supported by the ministry of health & family welfare (MoHFW), central govt.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla was the chief guest at the event, along with director principal Prof AK Attri, medical superintendent Dr GP Thami, state nodal officer Dr Ajeet Sidana, various councillors, representatives from NGOs, local leaders, and faculty members from GMCH-32.

A major highlight of the event was an interactive session with councillors, where experts including Dr Priti Arun, Dr Dinesh K Walia, Dr Ajeet Sidana, Dr NK Goel, and Dr Sonia Puri engaged in discussions on mental health trends and policy implications. Councillors shared concerns about mental health challenges in their respective areas and provided suggestions for improvement.

Dr Sonia Puri, associate professor in the department of community medicine, emphasised the significance of NMHS 2, which is being conducted across various states in India.

She highlighted that in Chandigarh, GMCH-32 was entrusted with the responsibility of executing the survey. Field staff will visit households across the Union Territory to interview residents about mental health issues. Unlike NMHS-1 (conducted in 2015-16), NMHS-2 will gather more detailed and comprehensive data, helping policymakers develop innovative, need-based mental health policies for the community.

Dr Puri urged cooperation from different sectors, including the administration, directorate of health services, department of social welfare, councillors, NGOs, key public figures, and the wider community to ensure the success of the survey in Chandigarh.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, in her keynote address, underscored the importance of mental health awareness and evidence-based policymaking. She assured strong support from the councillors and the administration, which was met with applause from attendees. A significant part of the event was the launch of IEC (information, education, and communication) material, aimed at enhancing public awareness and mental health literacy. The programme also featured a felicitation ceremony, recognising distinguished guests for their contributions to mental health initiatives.

Dr Dinesh K Walia delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their participation.