National Mental Health Survey- 2: UoH, OU appointed nodal agency for Hyderabad

Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad (UoH) and Osmania University (OU) will be the nodal agency for the National Mental Health Survey- 2 in Hyderabad.

The Government of India (GoI), through the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, is undertaking the National Mental Health Survey -2 – Megacity Survey. The nodal coordinating organization is NIMHANS, Bengaluru. The denizens of megacities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru will be surveyed as part of this.

School of Medical Sciences at the University of Hyderabad (UoH), represented by Prof. B.R. Shamanna and Dr. M. Surya Durga Prasad, will work with the Institute of Mental Health, Osmania Medical College, as partners for the Hyderabad arm of the Megacity Survey.

"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," Vice-Chancellor Prof. B J Rao said while commending the School.

The need for a mental health survey in a nationwide urban sample has been necessitated as the countrywide National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) – 1 in 2016 reported a higher prevalence of mental health morbidity among the urban population.

The population examined by the NMHS-1 did not include the mega cities where a considerable proportion of the urban population lives. The need to examine this population that has significant diversity in lifestyle, needs and challenges, especially in the face of rapid urbanization and migration was proposed in NMHS -1. The NMHS -2 will focus on the complex lifestyle of megacities, its impact on wellness, and the mental health services available for the inhabitants.