NIMHANS launches second phase of Mental Health Survey in Kerala
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Thiruvananthapuram: The second phase of the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) on behalf of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has commenced in Kerala.
This survey aims to assess the prevalence of mental health conditions in the state, identify region-specific challenges, and support the formulation of effective policy measures.
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It will focus on estimating the burden of mental health issues among adults and adolescents, the extent of disability caused by such conditions, the socio-economic impact on families and caregivers, levels of psychological stress, and the adequacy of existing healthcare systems, news agency UNI reported.
In Kerala, the survey is being coordinated by the Departments of Psychiatry and Community Medicine at Alappuzha Government Medical College. It will cover five districts—Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad, and Palakkad—as well as four major urban centres—Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode.
The advisory committee overseeing the survey is chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Dr. Rajan N. Khobragade. Director of Medical Education Dr. K.V. Viswanathan and Director of Health Services Dr. K.J. Reena are also members of the panel.
Expressing confidence in the initiative, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the findings of the survey would provide vital insights into the state’s mental health landscape and help strengthen healthcare interventions, reports UNI.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a nine-year-old girl has passed away, and two others, including a three-month-old baby, remain in critical condition after contracting Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) — a rare but fatal brain infection caused by “brain-eating amoeba”, Naegleria fowleri. All three cases were reported within days in Kozhikode district, prompting Kerala’s health department to issue a public health alert.
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