More than 37,000 Medicos respond to NMC survey, confirm Suffering from Mental Health Issues
New Delhi: The shocking picture concerning the mental health of medical students has come to light as more than 37,000 medical students have submitted applications before the government authority, indicating that they are suffering from mental stress, Live Mint has reported.
Taking cognisance of this, the apex medical education authority has prescribed several measures including regulating the duty hours of the students and initiating a suicide watch. These recommendations by the National Medical Commission (NMC) will be submitted before the Union Health Ministry for further implementation across the medical colleges in the country.
Commenting on this, a government official told the Daily on the condition of anonymity, "We have received more than 37,000 applications from medical students and faculty which itself indicates that doctors are suffering from mental stress. Most of the students face problems in hostels, and during ragging, which we are streamlining. Our education system for primary and secondary classes are reformed, but there is no work regulation for higher education. For PG students, we have directed states to relax seat leaving bond policy of the state government."
According to NMC data, 153 MBBS and 1120 doctors pursuing PG medical courses dropped out of their institutes in the last five years. Apart from the dropouts, at least 122 medical students, 64 in MBBS and 58 in post-graduate courses died by suicide between 2018 - 2023.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently taking cognizance of cases of depression and suicide by medical students, the Anti-Ragging Committee of NMC set up a National Task Force to address the mental health of medicos.
This committee comprised 15 members of the Apex Medical Commission and it was decided that this committee would study the existing literature and data on mental health and suicide of medical students, analyze factors contributing to these challenges, and propose evidence-based strategies for improving mental health and preparatory of suicides. It was announced that this panel might also pay a visit to the colleges where incidents of suicides had been reported.
NMC had announced that the Task Force would submit its final report by 31st May 2024. Initiating the survey, medical students were asked to submit details regarding the mental health illnesses they were suffering from- including their mental health history. Postgraduate medical students were asked to submit the details of their workload, and their overall stress level including their self-care practices. Faculties and administrators of the medical colleges were also asked to share the details of their stress levels at their workplace, extracurricular and wellness workshops conducted at their institutes and other related details concerning the mental health of the medical students.
As per the latest media report by Live Mint, following the overwhelming response to the online survey, NMC, the Apex Medical Regulator has made several suggestions, including gate-keeper programmes as a measure to prevent suicide, identify vulnerable students, and regulate duty hours for post-graduate students. The Commission has also suggested ensuring better student facilities, a friendlier work environment, and round-the-clock professional counselling services.
NMC will submit these recommendations to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare this month to be rolled out across the medical colleges in the country. The committee is currently devising regulations by evaluating and analysing the survey results.
Commenting on the matter, a government official told the Daily on the condition of anonymity, "Some of the universal recommendations which are in discussion include: adjustment support and orientation in medical colleges for new students to understand their role & duties; facilities in the college; ways to cope up with home sickness; awareness campaigns, celebration of world mental health day, world suicide prevention day and drug prevention day; anti-ragging measures will be strengthened; and regulations of duty hours for medical PG students not more than 80 hours a week, which is being followed internationally. Currently, PG students are working as much as 100 hours a week without any break."
Further mentioning that the efforts are underway to ensure that the work environment is student-friendly for the medical students, the official added, "In addition to it, plans are also in discussion to address concerns of the teachers; strengthening of mentor-mentoring programme. A new initiative—gate-keepers programme—will start to prevent suicide and identify vulnerable students and exclusive 24x7 professionals counselling services will commence to counsel students via government’s tele-manas portal."
Meanwhile, referring to the instances of suicide by medical student, another official informed, "Every hospital has psychiatric division, but due to stigma students do not report. If a student is under stress, whom he will inform first whether peers or else faculty. Strengthening of anti-ragging and anti-sexual harassment measures. In the last 130 medical students have committed suicide equally both in UG and PG classes. This means—25-26 students take their lives every year."
Meanwhile, referring to these shocking figures, a psychiatrist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi has called it "the tip of the iceberg". Dr. Nand Kumar, the Professor of Psychiatric Department at AIIMS told the Daily, "This is just tip of iceberg. The numbers of doctors suffering from mental health illnesses could be much higher. The data itself says that around 70% of doctors feel burnout. They feel lack of interest going to the workplace, lack of pleasure, lack of motivation and lack of communication among the medical community and acceptability is very poor."
Also Read: World Health Day 2024: NMC launches 'My Health, My Rights' Initiative for Medicos
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