Nagpur: More than six lakh people in rural areas were screened for mental health wellness during a door-to-door survey under the state govt’s flagship Udaan project in Nagpur district.A total of 9,110 mental health outpatient department sessions were organised, while 9,472 patients received treatment, and a total of 92,423 counselling and treatment services were provided. Of these patients, 66% fully recovered, and treatment is ongoing for 24%.Under this initiative, two sub-district hospitals, 10 rural hospitals, 56 primary health centres, 778 gram panchayats, and 1,724 ASHA workers from 13 talukas of the district were included. With the help of ASHA workers, mental health surveys were conducted door-to-door in villages using tabs, and so far 6,22,431 people have been screened. Before this, villagers had to travel to Nagpur city for mental health services, but now these services are available at nearby govt health centres.Out of 69 facilitation centres in Nagpur district, 13 centres provide services through the district mental health program team, and 56 centres provide services through trained medical officers. Monthly awareness programmes are conducted in 465 villages in collaboration with gram panchayats, bhajan mandals, farmer groups, and women’s savings groups. Additionally, the Udaan team conducted counselling sessions by visiting the homes of 11,936 patients.Special training on mental health and awareness was provided to 1,724 ASHA workers.“The district-level mental health program Udaan, initiated by the Maharashtra govt in collaboration with Tata Trusts, achieved remarkable success in Nagpur district, significantly enhancing the reach of mental health services in rural areas,” chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.The national mental health policy aims to raise awareness about mental health, provide easy access to services in rural and urban areas, increase the number of psychiatrists and counsellors, offer treatment outside hospitals, and provide specialised mental health services. The Udaan program aligns with this and is the first initiative of the Maharashtra govt. Through this initiative, mental health services are provided to citizens at their nearest health centres.Launched in 2018 under the leadership of Fadnavis, the main objective of the Udaan initiative is to provide quality mental health services to the citizens of rural Nagpur district through sub-district hospitals and primary health centres. The implementation of this scheme was carried out in 2018 in partnership with the department of public health and family welfare, govt of Maharashtra, and Tata Trusts. Since 2023, the responsibility of this scheme was handed over to the Rural Tribal Development Service Institute, with Indira Foundation supporting the program.The Udaan initiative, along with the district administration and members of the district mental health program, plays a significant role in ensuring the mental well-being of citizens. Additionally, the public health department, district council, rural hospitals (RH), sub-district hospitals (SDH), and primary health centres (PHC) also contribute significantly.Fadnavis stated that the Udaan initiative has taken a significant leap in the field of mental health in Nagpur district and is set to become a model for other districts in the country.
