Latest news with #NMHP
New Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Centre has no official data on nomophobia, Rajya Sabha told
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said that it does not maintain any central data on patients suffering from nomophobia, the fear of being without mobile phones. In a written reply, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, informed the Rajya Sabha that a behavioural addiction clinic has been established at AIIMS, New Delhi, to manage various behavioural addictions, including internet and technology addiction. 'The data of patients suffering from nomophobia in the country is not maintained centrally,' said the minister in response to a question from Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam, who asked whether it is a fact that the number of patients suffering from nomophobia is constantly increasing in the country and whether a large number of these patients are young children and youth. Nomophobia is the fear or anxiety associated with being without one's mobile phone or the ability to use it. The minister said that to address the burden of mental disorders, the Centre is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) across the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), a component of the NMHP, has been sanctioned for implementation in 767 districts. Support for this is provided to States and Union Territories through the National Health Mission. Facilities made available under the DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/psychosocial interventions, continuing care and support for persons with severe mental disorders, medication, outreach services, and ambulance services. In addition to these, there is a provision for 10-bedded in-patient facilities at the district level. Jadhav also stated that the government is taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at the primary healthcare level and has upgraded more than 1.77 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) into Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been included in the packages of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Under the tertiary care component of the NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the intake of students in postgraduate departments in mental health specialities, as well as to provide tertiary-level treatment facilities. Furthermore, the government has supported 19 government medical colleges/institutions to strengthen 47 postgraduate departments in mental health specialities. There are 47 government-run mental hospitals in the country, including three Central Mental Health Institutions: the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru; the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam; and the Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi. Mental health services are also available at all AIIMS institutions. The minister added that the government launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme on October 10, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services across the country. As of July 17, 36 States and Union Territories have established 53 Tele-MANAS Cells and have started providing tele-mental health services. More than 23.82 lakh calls have been handled on the helpline number. Additionally, the Tele-MANAS mobile application was launched on World Mental Health Day last year, on October 10. It is a comprehensive mobile platform developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from overall well-being to mental disorders.
United News of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Surge in spousal murders in India reflects deeper societal issues: NMHP Advisor
Hyderabad, June 11 (UNI) A surge in spousal murders in India reflects deeper societal issues where forced marriages and inability to express views about relationship choices can lead to violent outcomes, according to Dr Naresh Puohit, Advisor National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). The recent tragic murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, a young businessman from Indore, allegedly killed by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in Meghalaya is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastation caused by dishonesty in relationships. Marriage is a sacred bond built on trust and mutual respect. When these values are absent, the consequences can be catastrophic, said Dr Naresh, noted Mental Health Expert. Talking to UNI after addressing a Continuing Medical Education Programme (CME) on "Understanding Toxic Relationships" organised by the Hyderabad-based Institute of Mental Health here on Wednesday, Dr Purohit emphasised that instead of resorting to violence, individuals must have the courage to choose divorce or to walk away from marriages that conflict with their true feelings. Taking an innocent life is never the answer, it creates a cycle of pain and suffering for all involved. Quoting his recent research paper titled "The Psychology Behind Spousal Killings", the Principal Investigator for the Association of Studies In Mental Care, pointed that one of the leading factors that makes spouses commit such heinous act is the desire to take over, control and dominate the relationship; and the failure to achieve that can lead to frustration, prompting them to kill their partner. "The relationships where the partner has the intense ambition of jealousy and possessiveness can fuel anger and resentment, whereas little events can take up huge manifestations like killing or murdering the partner," he added "The past experiences of an individual can lead to such killings. Where prior bad experiences may erode trust in the institution of marriage, leading to the killing of the partner," he said He averred that several personality disorders, such as narcissistic personality disorder, where one is extremely egotistical or is very suspicious of the other partner, can predispose individuals to aggressive behaviors and a lack of empathy. "According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) homicides resulting from love affairs and marital relationships are the third and fourth most prevalent motives for murder in India. Statistically, approximately one in ten murders in the nation is perpetrated by a lover, spouse, or partner." "From 2010 to 2014, the proportion of murders linked to love affairs and relationships fluctuated between 7 percent and 8 percent. In contrast, from 2015 to 2022, this percentage increased to between 10 percent and 11 per cent, and the trend shows no signs of abating," the renowned physician added. Experts pointed out that in most spousal crimes, the person isn't mentally ill; they just don't care how their emotions and actions affect others. It's much more than just poor mental well-being, it's complete moral erosion. UNI KNR RN
