<p class="rtejustify">In a bid to find a solution to the shortage of mental health professionals in the country, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) hopes to empower general physicians to handle mental health cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Under the Nimhans digital academy, it plans to train primary care physicians to attend to patients with the basic mental illness.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">In a way forward, the institution recently started a three-month Diploma course in Community Mental Health for doctors, social workers, nurses and counsellors.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Through the course, MBBS doctors would be imparted the set of skills that they ought to know to treat mental illness.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, Dr B N Gangadhar, director, Nimhans, said one layer of primary care professionals is being fortified to attend to mental health cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“We are not looking at creating specialists here. We are only empowering the existing professionals, Gangadhar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“The philosophy that a psychiatrist’s help should be sought for mental illness has to go. Else, we will eternally have a shortage of mental health professionals. With this move, the stigma would also be reduced and highly skilled professionals can only attend to severe cases,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nimhans has already received 500 applications in week.</p>
<p class="rtejustify">In a bid to find a solution to the shortage of mental health professionals in the country, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) hopes to empower general physicians to handle mental health cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Under the Nimhans digital academy, it plans to train primary care physicians to attend to patients with the basic mental illness.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">In a way forward, the institution recently started a three-month Diploma course in Community Mental Health for doctors, social workers, nurses and counsellors.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Through the course, MBBS doctors would be imparted the set of skills that they ought to know to treat mental illness.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Speaking to <span class="italic">DH</span>, Dr B N Gangadhar, director, Nimhans, said one layer of primary care professionals is being fortified to attend to mental health cases.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“We are not looking at creating specialists here. We are only empowering the existing professionals, Gangadhar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">“The philosophy that a psychiatrist’s help should be sought for mental illness has to go. Else, we will eternally have a shortage of mental health professionals. With this move, the stigma would also be reduced and highly skilled professionals can only attend to severe cases,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext rtejustify">Nimhans has already received 500 applications in week.</p>