Dr Jalil Parkar has treated more than 1,400 Covid-19 patients since March 11. “The limited availability of specialist mental health human resources (psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers)... has been one of the barriers in providing essential mental health care to all,” the NMHS report observes. Maharashtra’s Public Health Department that handles primary health centres, rural and district hospitals across the state, has only 44 psychiatrists to run the District Mental Health Programme. Data till November 9 shows 19,287 Covid-19 patients and health workers have been provided psychological counselling to deal with the pandemic. Pandit says psychiatric episodes are more common in Covid-19 patients admitted to ICUs than those isolated at home.

Source: Indian Express November 14, 2020 19:52 UTC