New Delhi, Feb 1 (FN Agency) The Centre has hiked the budgetary allocation for healthcare by over 16 per cent in the financial year 2022-23. The health sector has been allocated Rs 86,200.65 crore in the Union Budget, a hike of 16.59 per cent over Rs 73,931 crore in 2021-22. Out of the total health budget, Rs 83,000 crore have been allocated to the Department of Health and Family Welfare while Rs 3,200 crore has been allocated to the Department of Health Research. The Centre also announced to launch a special programme for people suffering from mental health issues. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that a National Tele Mental Health Programme will be launched in the country to enhance access to quality mental healthcare services.
The programme will be run by a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence with the National Institute Of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, being its nodal centre. Presenting the Union budget of the FY 2022-23, Sitharaman stressed the need for mental health counselling especially amid the pandemic which has increased the burden of mental health diseases. “The pandemic has accentuated mental health problems in all ages. To better the access of quality health counselling and care services, a National Tele Mental Health Programme will be launched,” she said while announcing the programme in the parliament today.
While NIMHANS will act as the nodal centre for excellence for the programme, the International Institute of information and Technology (IIIT), Bangalore will provide technical support to the initiative, the FM added. According to the budget document, the programme will ensure access to quality, standardized & free 24×7 mental health services to all and will play a crucial role in bridging a major gap in access to mental healthcare in the country. The initiative will be aligned with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to help to connect various healthcare services under it as well as with the e-sanjeevani system. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya lauded the initiative on Twitter. “Thank you PM Narendra Modi Ji & FM N Sitharaman Ji for announcing the launch of the National Tele-mental Health Programme..With a network of 23 tele-mental health Centres of Excellence under NIMHANS, it will ensure quality mental health counselling for all,” he posted on the micro-blogging site.