New Delhi, 31 May 2024 – The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) from India was honoured with the 2024 Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion at the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly in Geneva today. NIMHANS and Professor Bontle Mbongwe of Botswana were joint recipients of the award.
Accepting the award on behalf of NIMHANS, its Director Dr Pratima Murthy, said, “Our claim to this award stems from our role as pioneers in community-driven initiatives. We spearheaded the District Mental Health Programme, training primary care workers, established the NIMHANS Digital Academy to bolster human resources, and have led many human rights-based initiatives to improve care for persons with mental illness. Our care spans all age groups, including initiatives for children, and life skills programmes for youth, substance use prevention and tobacco quit line services, programmes for women and for the elderly. From the psychosocial helpline during COVID-19 to guiding the establishment of the country’s Tele MANAS helpline, we have helped millions in distress. Extending impact beyond borders, we have trained healthcare providers in numerous countries across our region.”
This recognition underscores the critical importance of mental health, a key priority highlighted by Regional Director Saima Wazed.
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) delivers state-of-the-art clinical care, carrying out training and research while involving the communities it serves. It collaborates with central and state governments in framing, informing and implementing national policies and strategies. NIMHANS involves young people as change agents within district youth-empowerment centres to bridge the gap between young people, their families and an ever-changing society (reaching about 6 million young people). In addition, it is engaged in a national initiative for child protection, mental health and psychosocial care (reaching more than 3 million people). The Institute works as well on urban mental health as well as training and accrediting community volunteers to deliver mental health first aid: 18 000 gatekeepers have been trained to facilitate the early identification of suicide risk and to intervene. NIMHANS has initiated numerous digital technology initiatives. A national helpline for psychosocial support and mental health services was launched during the first wave of COVID-19. In 2022, the Institute established the National Tele Mental Health Programme ensuring equitable, affordable and high-quality mental health care across all Indian States.
Watch NIMHANS Director, Dr Pratima Murthy share her thoughts after receiving the award here.