National Mental Health Survey Launched in Chandigarh for Updated Data on Mental Health Trends

The Department of Community Medicine and Department of Psychiatry at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH-32), Chandigarh, on Thursday launched the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS-2) at Sood Bhawan to get updated data on mental health trends across the city. This nationwide survey is being funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, and supported by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In Chandigarh, GMCH-32 has been given the responsibility for conducting this survey.

“The field staff will be visiting houses to interview residents pertaining to their mental health issues. As compared to NMHS-1, which was done in 2015-2016, NMHS-2 is being done after a decade, in which data would be taken in a more detailed form. The insights from this survey would help policymakers in the formation of innovative and new need-based mental health policies catering to the community,” said Dr. Sonia Puri, Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine, GMCH. The launch event was presided over by Chief Guest Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, and attended by GMCH Director Principal Dr. AK Attri, Medical Superintendent Dr. GP Thami, and State Nodal Officer Dr. Ajeet Sidana, among others.