Nimhans ties up with NGO, others to test rollout of mental health programme in two taluks

BENGALURU: The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru, and the Ashraya Hastha Trust (AHT) have signed an MoU with multiple stakeholders to implement a comprehensive rural mental health programme named ‘NAMAN’ (Nimhans-AHT Comprehensive Mental-Health-Action-Programme for Rural Communities) in two different taluks in India to test the feasibility of rolling out such a programme across the country.

The national launch of the programme was held today at the Nimhans convention centre. The proposed Naman programme will be completed within a period of three years. Nimhans will develop the road map for overall implementation of the programme and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh, will collaborate
with Nimhans as a sub-hub for successful implementation of the program in Uttarakhand.

Both Nimhans, Bengaluru, and AIIMS, Rishikesh, will collaborate with the health departments of the governments of Karnataka and Uttarakhand. The Ashraya Hasta Trust has provided financial assistance for the smooth operation of the programme.

The vision of NAMAN is to implement a comprehensive taluk-level mental health programme which incorporates mental health promotion, preventive strategies, treatment of mental disorders and rehabilitation. The two taluks selected to implement the programme are Munsiyari taluk of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand State and Belur taluk of Hassan district in Karnataka to cater the mental health needs of the whole population of the two taluks. The programme plans to follow a lifespan approach, which would cover the entire population from womb to tomb.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao was the chief guest at the launch and he joined virtually. Anil Kumar T K, Additional Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka; D Randeep, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka; Dr Naveen Bhatt Y, Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Government of Karnataka; Dr Pushpalatha, Director, Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka; Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of Nimhans, Dr B S Shankar Narayan Rao, Registrar of Nimhans, Dr Prabha S Chandra, Dean of Behavioral Sciences, Dr Muralidharan Kesavan, Medical Superintendent of Nimhans, Dr Y C Janardhan Reddy, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Nimhans, K Dinesh, Managing trustee of Ashraya Hastha Trust and co-founder of Infosys, and Asha Dinesh, trustee of Ashraya Hastha Turst were present. Investigators and co-investigators of NAMAN from various departments also participated.

The programme was also attended by the Hassan Deputy Commissioner Sathyabhama C, the ZP CEO Poornima B R, district health officer Dr Anil, the district mental health programme officer Dr Nagesh Aradhaya, tahsildar Mamatha M and the Taluk health officer, Dr Vijay.

In addition, from the state of Uttarakhand, Dr Vinita Shah, Director General-Health of the Uttarakhand government, Dr Bhagirathi Jangpangi, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mayank, Assistant Director of the State Mental Health Authority, Dr Heera Singh Hayanki, CMO, Pithoragarh, Dr Kundan Kumar, DTO Pithoragarh, Dr Lalit Bhatt, Nodal

Officer of Mental Health, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, Director of AIIMS Rishikesh, Dr Meenu Singh, Head of the Department of Psychiatry (AIIMS), Dr Anninya Das, Dr Vikram, and other faculties of the Psychiatry Department, AIIMS, Rishikesh, joined the event in online mode.