Mental healthcare gets boost: NMC increases MD Psychiatry seats from 8 to 12 in GMC, Srinagar

SRINAGAR: Mental healthcare is set to receive a boost after National Medical Commission (NMC) increased MD (Psychiatry) seats from eight to 12 in Government Medical College, Srinagar.

This follows Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) report regarding faculty, their experience, publication, and other infrastructure available at GMC. Srinagar. The admission for new seats will start from the academic year 2022-23.

“It is to inform that MARB reviewed the assessor’s report on July 16 regarding faculty, their experience, publication, and other teaching facilities including infrastructure available at GMC Srinagar under Kashmir University, for an increase of seats in MD (psychiatry) for the academic year2022-23,” said Member/President, MARB, National Medical Commission.

NMC asked the GMC to provide all infrastructure facilities in terms of teaching and non-teaching staff, buildings, equipment, and hospital facilities as per NMC norms.

“No student should be admitted to the course till the formal permission of MARB… Medical colleges/institutions governed by the state government are required to furnish only an undertaking signed by the government authority to provide funds in their budget till the facilities are fully provided a per time bound program indicated by them,” NMC said.

NMC has asked the GMC to send an acceptance letter within one week. ” You may otherwise opt to follow section 28 (3) (5) (6) of NMC Act, 2019 to enable MARB to issue a letter of permission for the academic year 2022-23,” NMC said.

Last year, MBBS seats were increased from 500 to 1100. Around 111 more MBBS/BDS seats and 50 PG seats under EWS have been sanctioned. Besides, 14 dental PG seats were approved. 225 DNB seats in 16 disciplines were also approved. Nearly 600 paramedical seats in nine courses were sanctioned.

History: The Postgraduate Department of Psychiatry of Government Medical College Srinagar runs a full fledged hospital for psychiatry care at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, (IMHANS) Kashmir at Badamwari Rainawari and a 30 bedded hospital of Community General Hospital Unit inside premises of SMHS Hospital with more than 80 mental health professionals.

The department of Psychiatry is only tertiary care referral Hospital in the Kashmir valley for mental Health and caters majority of the population of Kashmir, Ladakh and adjoining areas of Jammu. It was upgraded to Centre of Excellence under NMHP SCHEME A and is considered one of the best psychiatry facilities in country because of its contributions in research, manpower production and service to mental health as has been acknowledged by Supreme court monitored Committee and NHRC in various reports.

The department provides both in-patient (with and without attendant) and out-patient care to persons suffering from mental health problems including substance use disorders (24×7).

The other facilities available in the hospital are a free drug dispensary, free food and clothes for admitted patients, proper heating and cooling arrangements in the hospital, diagnostic biochemical laboratory, Electroencephalography Lab, 3 Tesla MRI unit, computerized medical record section, wifi and AC equipped Library, modern modified Brain stimulation unit, and OST unit for opioid dependence . The department is a MCI recognized research Institute and provides Post Graduate course in Psychiatry with an annual intake capacity of 8 MD students which is now increased to 12 and 8 M.Phil. clinical psychology students recognized by RCI. The department also provides two weeks of clinical posting for MBBS internship students, psychology students Of Amity & other universities, students of IGNOU & university of Kashmir, Clinical and theory classes for B.sc nursing, M.sc nursing (Psychiatry) students, M.A Psychology, M.A. Sociology students from various institutions including SKIMS & University of Kashmir.

The department also provides a two way atmosphere for students with exposure in areas of child psychiatry , Deaddiction , consultation Liason psychiatry longterm psychiatry care, general hospital psychiatry besides acute care in mental health