The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has issued fresh directives for management of mental illness steaming due to Covid pandemic.
The directives have been issued to lessen the risk of Covid exposure to people with mental problems and health workers on the frontline, a press release said on Sunday.
The directives have suggested connecting Covid hospitals with the nearest mental health centre through hotline.
The directives have been framed keeping in mind Covid positive people undergoing trauma or those who have gone into depression due to the pandemic or are already suffering from mental illness, it said.
For ensuring the implementation of the directives, a nodal officer will be appointed to review the guideline periodically and inform mental health centres about updates.
The guideline has recommended extending mental health services to communities so that existing mental patients and those mentally affected by Covid could be provided better protection.
The government wants to publicize correct facts about mental health on digital, print and social media platforms.
It also suggested to rope-in NGOs working in the mental health sector for home delivery of medicines for mental patients, the press release added.
The guideline said that mental patients or their caretakers should come to mental health centres only in emergency situations.
