NGO’s and Their Role in Mental Health Care in India

Abstract

Non-Government Organizations are institutions recognized by the government as nonprofit organizations, which are welfare-oriented and play a key role as service providers, activists, and researchers in various fields about human and social development. Many times NGO’s are born in response to major disasters and crisis to provide emergency relief, and after the disaster is over may continue the good work.[1] More than 10% of our population is suffering from various mental health-related problems.The paucity of treatment facilities and psychiatrists in the government sector has resulted in a huge treatment gap in mental health care. As per the survey conducted by NIMHANS in 2016, the treatment gap is to the tune of more than 84%.[2] The NGO’s have played a significant role in not only bridging this gap but have also helped in creating low-cost replicable models of care.[3]