— Punjab’s Landmark Policy Guarantees Access to Mental Health Care for All, says Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh
CHANDIGARH, October 10:
In a landmark move to enhance the psychological wellbeing of its citizens as desired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Friday unveiled the pioneering “Punjab State Mental Health Policy” to mark the World Mental Health Day. This transformative initiative aimed at promoting mental well-being and ensure access to quality mental health care for all in Punjab.
“On World Mental Health Day, Punjab is taking a historic step toward ensuring that mental well-being truly becomes everyone’s right,” said Dr Balbir Singh, while adding that the Punjab State Mental Health Policy, together with the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, is the proof of Punjab government’s commitment to the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of every person in Punjab.
The Health Minister, who was accompanied by Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, emphasised that the profound stigma in our society often forces individuals to suffer in silence, allowing conditions to deteriorate. To combat this, we are decisively integrating mental health services within our primary healthcare framework, ensuring help is available at the very first point of contact, he said.
Dr Balbir Singh further underscored the policy’s dedicated focus on vulnerable groups, with a particular emphasis on women’s mental health. “We recognise that women often bear a disproportionate burden of societal and domestic pressures, which can severely impact their psychological well-being. Our policy, therefore, mandates a gender-sensitive approach, ensuring that women have access to safe, confidential, and empathetic mental health services. Prioritising the mental wellness of women is not just a health imperative, it is foundational to building a resilient and equitable society,” he said.
Highlighting this year’s theme, ‘Access to Service: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies’ the Minister stated, “Our state has resilience, having confronted severe emergencies like Operation Sindoor and the recent devastating floods. These catastrophes inflict deep psychological scars through the tragic loss of life and livelihood, making robust mental health support not just a service, but an absolute necessity.” He said that this policy is specifically designed to fortify the state’s response to such crisis-induced trauma.
Dr Balbir Singh said that the State Mental Health Policy is grounded in principles of equity, justice, and evidence-based, integrated care, and will increase the utilisation of mental health services through increasing the number of trained mental health professionals in the state. The Policy also aims to reduce risk and incidences of suicide and promote inclusion of persons with mental health problems, he added.
