Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad (UoH) is all set to partner with the Ministry of Health and Family welfare (MoHF) for the Second National Mental Health Survey to be conducted in mega cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru .
The School of Medical Sciences at UoH, headed by Prof. BR Shamanna and Dr M Surya Durga Prasad, will coordinate with the Institute of Mental Health, Osmania Medical College, as partners for the Hyderabad arm of the survey.
While approving the Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) for the university to participate in the major policy-making initiative, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. BJ Rao commended the school saying, “The University’s role in social responsibility is evident when we involve ourselves in these landmark initiatives.”
“This also augurs well for our outreach in the community and is integral to furthering the Institution of Eminence status of the University,” added Rao.
The need for a mental health survey in a nationwide urban sample has been necessitated after the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) – 1, carried out in 2016 reported a higher prevalence of mental health morbidity among the urban population.
The population covered during the first survey did not include mega cities, where a considerable proportion of the urban population lives. The need to examine this population with significant diversity in lifestyle and needs, among other challenges especially due to rapid urbanisation and migration was proposed in NMHS -1.
The NMHS -2 will emphasise the complex lifestyle of mega cities, its impact on wellness and the mental health services available for the inhabitants.
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