Shortage of psychiatrists hits ‘Prerana Project’

Psychiatrists are not willing to travel and work in rural areas

Though the ‘Prerana Project’ has started in a full swing, the state health department is facing shortage of psychiatrists wherein they are yet to fill the posts of four psychiatrists and one clinical psychologists in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The mental health cell officials from DHS expressed that the many psychiatrists are not willing to travel and work in rural areas as they are not comfortable with the working pattern and conditions.

A team of six people including psychiatrist, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social worker, psychiatric nurse, community Nurse and accountant cum case registry are posted in each of the 14 districts. The psychiatrists are required to attend patients on out-patient department basis on two days of the week and go for field visits in various small villages of the district as the farmers are not able to travel for long-distance.

Dr Manish Renghe, who is attached with the mental health cell of the DHS said, “We have been facing shortage of psychiatrists as doctors are not willing to serve in remote areas wherein they are do not get enough exposure to practice. Further, even the working conditions and salaries paid to them are not sufficient and therefore, we are struggling with finding good psychiatrists for our project. However, we have spoken with the health department and we have put up advertisements in the newspapers.”