Mental health time bomb: Australia donates Rs 10L to GIGH for crisis management

Hyderabad: Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell, and Consul General for Chennai Sarah Kirlew, announced Direct Aid Programme (DAP) to George Institute for Global Health (GIGH).

“Australian government will be donating Rs 10 lakh to George Institute for the funding of this project,” said Sarah Kirlew.

The idea is to identify and manage common Mental Health Disorders at district levels and work on them to strengthen the system.

According to studies, one in four individuals in India experience typical mental disorders including anxiety, depression, or emotional difficulties at some point in their lives. The high level of stigma associated with mental illnesses and the dearth of qualified mental health providers are major contributing factors.

'Strengthening Mental Health Systems via Action at District Level' is a project that intends to strengthen the capacity of the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) team in and around Hyderabad to apply systems thinking methodologies and tools to identify and remove bottlenecks.

Inadequate Mental Health (MH) Systems and Procedures have a significant role in service gaps. To develop MH services, there is a need for better governance, monitoring and evaluation, and research.

“George Institute is working through a range of projects to generate actionable evidence to support the identification and management of mental health conditions. Workshops with selected district-level teams in Hyderabad and the surrounding area will increase capability in fundamental systems-thinking ideas,” said Professor Vivekanand Jha, the executive director of George Institute, India.

“The Australian High Commission's Direct Aid Programme in India has made this possible, and the key objectives and activities include understanding the availability of mental health services, service gaps, and obstacles to DMHP implementation in one Telangana district,” added Dr. Ankita Mukherjee, who will lead the program.

To identify critical program activities and gaps, the DMHP and state mental health program guidelines will be examined, and systems thinking principles and tools will be used for group problem-solving.

George Institute for Global Health is an independent medical research organization that seeks to address the world's most pressing health issues while also enhancing the health of millions of people globally.

It was founded in Sydney and has significant standalone centers there as well as in China, India, and the UK. It also has links with top institutions and projects in more than 45 nations.

In 2018, George Institute was named by Times Higher Education as Australia's top independent research institute.