PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS MENTAL HEALTH, HUMAN RIGHTS - Government of India

"There is a need for Public Mental Health Education and awareness campaigns on Mental Health to be launched. The main goal is to reduce barriers to treatment and care by increasing awareness of the frequency of mental disorders, their treatability the recovery process and the human rights of people with mental disorders."

‘National Mental Health Programme Progress and Problems’ -2003, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Government of India

"SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS" NOT EVEN DEFINED in the Mental Health Care Bill 2013

When -> The National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi in August 2005 states, ‘there are 65 million Indians with serious mental illnesses like Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Major depression…’
 
When-> Mental health An Indian perspective 1946-2003’ by the Directorate General Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare states that –‘It is suggested that the community health programme should divert a significant part of their funds to the care of the chronically ill because ultimately it is the State which has a moral duty to look after the weak and dependent population.’

When->The World Health Organization (WHO) states, ‘Schizophrenia: Youth’s greatest disabler’. 

When->India is demographically a youthful country. 

When-> Mental health An Indian perspective 1946-2003’ by the Directorate General Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare states that –‘Although the prevalence of chronic psychotic illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder in women may be less than that of Depression, Anxiety they pose an immense problem in management and rehabilitation.’ 

When-> To be in consonance with the UN Convention Rights Persons with Disabilities which has stated-‘Recognizing further the diversity of persons with disabilities’
‘Recognizing the need to promote and protect the human rights of all persons with disabilities including those who require more intensive support.’
 
Yet -‘SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS’ - Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression – NOT EVEN DEFINED in the Mental Health Care Bill 2013 

A community-based rehabilitation model - the Barwani study in rural India

comprising of family members of loved ones with a serious mental illness, chronic schizophrenia

Due to lack of opportunities in the rural areas in India many families are left behind when the heads of the household leave their families in the villages seeking employment in distant towns. When a family member has a serious mental illness the 'family caregiver' takes on the responsibility in keeping the rest of the family together whilst giving care. With serious mental illness it is like a cyclone hitting the family. 

Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents; even children give care to their family members with mental illness in the harshest conditions. These 'family caregivers' are invisible for they are never written about- who knit the social fabric of the family, giving care, support and protection for their loved ones with mental illness.

'The Barwani Experiment’ using a three tier model for the delivery of mental health services had the third tier comprising of family members can become a model not only for the treatment of mental disorders but also for primary healthcare in general state.'- Evaluation of a community-based model in rural India

'Family caregivers' who  have the knowledge and experience in giving care have not even been defined in the Mental Health Care Bill, Bill No. LIV of 2013 as introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

References:

1.National Mental Health Programme. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Government of India.

2.As Introduced in the Rajya Sabha Bill No. LIV of 2013-The Mental Health Care Bill

Public Health Information On Mental Illness not being disseminated in India

And laying all the blame at the door of the families.

Stigma the new doctrine of the influential and the powerful, is being parroted as a universal cause for individuals and families not seeking treatment for mental illness in India a country with diverse cultures. And all the blame is being laid at the door of families. When incomes are lost, education is disrupted; buckling down with serious mental illness and being blamed is a knock-out punch when all the chips are down.

But then does the Government of India really care? ‘Care’ cannot be found in the Mental Health Care Bill, as tabled in the Rajya Sabha with no reference point of ‘Care’, definition of ‘Care’  or ‘Right to Therapeutic Care’ which would adversely impact more than 65 million Indians living with serious Mental Illness in India.

The economically poor dwelling in the villages who are being attributed today to as having no common sense or wisdom were seeking treatment in the 38 Mental Hospitals in India from 1947-1969. The Government of India’s first report on the Statistics of Mental Health in independent India issued in 1970 titled ‘Mental Health in India’ by S K Sen Gupta and D R Chawla stated, “Mental Illness is common among the poorest – 89 percent of the inpatients belonged to the income group of Re 1 to Rs. 100 per month. The incidence of Mental Illness is said to 2 per 1000 of population.”

Unrestrained misinformation, misconceptions and myths on mental illness abound which are increasing by the day are fuelling only fear and ignorance of mental illness. 

Fear of ridicule resulting to sequester oneself and ignorance which is being exploited by the unscrupulous are strangely not being countered by any ‘Public Education Campaigns’ on Mental Health one of the objectives of the National Mental Health Programme and several Five-year Plans.

Answers are never sought as to why such posters as the ones given below specifically made for 'public health dissemination' by the Government of India are not being released in malls, cinema halls, shopping centres, market places or in schools, colleges, universities, libraries, hostels, youth camps....
 

Stigma thrives in an environment of ignorance which is being perpetuated by the Government of India by withholding public health information campaigns on mental illness.

References:
1. Mental Health in India by S K Sen Gupta and D R Chawla issued in 1970 by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
2. National Mental Health Programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India