New Delhi: At least 56,014 medical students died by suicide across the country in the last five years, the Union Health Ministry informed Parliament on Tuesday. As per information provided by Minister of State for Health Satya Pal Singh Baghel in the Rajya Sabha 9,905 medical students died by suicide in 2017, followed by 10,159 in 2018, 10,335 in 2019, 12,526 in 2020 and 13,089 in 2021.
To avert the suicidal tendencies among students, Baghel said that the Under Graduate Medical Education Board has implemented new competency-based medical education for MBBS students wherein a Yoga course has been introduced during the foundation course to alleviate the stress and depression of MBBS students.
“The government is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in 738 districts for which support is provided to States and UTs through the National Health Mission,” he said.
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Facilities made under DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levels, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services.
“Under the tertiary care component of NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the intake of students in PG departments in Mental Health specialities as well as to provide tertiary level treatment facilities,” he said. Furthermore, the government has also supported 19 government medical colleges and institutions to strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialities. Mental Health Services are also provisioned for 22 AIIMS. These services are also available under PMJAY, Baghel informed.
“The government launched a 'National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) in October 2022 to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on July 17 this year, 31 States and UTs have set up 42 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health services. More than 1,94,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number,” Baghel informed.
