Epidemiology-advocacy

Advocacy

Advocacy aiming at change and action, has been a important tool for empowering alliance and engagement of stakeholders for mainstreaming and integration of mental health care.

Inputs for district mental health programmes, state mental health authority activities, mental health systems assessment and developing public health observatory for MNSUDs are some of the key advocacy activities.

Regular observation of mental health day, walking plus programme for elderly, suicide prevention programmes and epilepsy awareness activities has provided significant impetus to the advocacy efforts.

Future plans include strengthening advocacy efforts in stigma reduction, human rights, workplace programmes for mental health and NCDs, child mental health, youth mental health and geriatric mental health.