State government should make mental health a priority

The positive dimension of mental health is stressed in WHO’s definition of health as contained in its constitution, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 

Mental health has, in the last few years, surged into greater importance and attention, and rightfully so. It has been estimated that 1 in 20 persons all around the world are in need of help for some kind of psychological and emotional issues. Depression is the second cause of disability, world wide. The social and economic costs of mental disorders have increased manifold. Suicide is the second biggest cause of death in the youth and adolescents. 

However it is not all bad news. There has been significant response to these challenges both internationally and in India. 

The WHO’s Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2013, recognises the essential role of mental health in achieving health for all people. The plan includes 4 major objectives: 

Closer home, India has its most recent Mental Health Care Act approved by Parliament, early in 2017. Distinct changes in the way the mentally ill are viewed, treated and empowered, more rights for persons with mental illnesses and decriminalisation of suicide are some of the highlights of the Act.

It is advocated that persons with mental illness should not be looked upon as objects of fear, pity and charity. The new Act recognises them as citizens with health rights, including the right to quality mental health care. 

While 150 million Indians need treatment for mental illness and close to 15% of the health burden is caused by mental disorders, less than 1% of the national health budget is allocated to mental health. How much individual states spend, has not been clearly documented. 

The Act therefore recognises that every citizen should have universal access to a range of mental health-care services in the community, at the district level, through the public health system. It also makes it compulsory for insurance companies to include mental illness cover in medical insurance policies. This has not been done so far, resulting in a huge financial burden on families. 

Decriminalisation of suicide is a welcome step recognising that attempted suicide is a cry for help rather than a criminal act deserving punishment. Like most Acts, implementation will be the key. To ensure this, state governments will have to make mental health a priority and increase funding, say experts. 

Plans and programmes will have to be drawn up to implement the different aspects of the Act at the ground level.