Jaipur, July 31 (IANS) Rajasthan has launched a major initiative to strengthen mental healthcare by introducing a web-based assessment tool for the scientific identification of mental health disorders, offering instant diagnostic reports and specialist consultations through telemedicine.
Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said on Thursday that the state government has taken a major step towards strengthening mental healthcare services by introducing a scientific, technology-driven system for the early detection and treatment of mental health disorders.
The initiative follows Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s Budget announcement to launch the ‘Raj Mamta’ programme under the ‘Mental Health for All’ initiative, aimed at preventing depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Rajasthan Medical and Health Department Principal Secretary, Gayatri Rathore, said the Global Mental Health Assessment Tool (GMHAT), a web-based digital assessment platform, will initially be implemented at Jaipur Medical College, Jodhpur Medical College, and AIIMS Jodhpur under the Raj Mamta programme.
The tool will enable timely and evidence-based identification of mental health conditions, facilitating early intervention and improving access to specialist care.
She said a high-level meeting on the initiative was held with representatives from the Medical and Health Department, Unicef, and the University of Manchester to discuss its implementation.
Rathore highlighted that the timely identification and treatment of mental health conditions is a growing public health priority.
GMHAT is a structured, web-based assessment tool that guides healthcare providers through a standardised patient interview using predefined questions.
Once the assessment is completed, the system automatically generates a detailed report, helping clinicians identify potential mental health conditions and determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
She added that patients requiring specialist care would be able to consult psychiatrists immediately through telemedicine, ensuring that people living in remote and rural areas can access expert mental healthcare without unnecessary travel.
According to Rathore, the digital platform will also enable data-driven monitoring of mental health trends across the state. It will help assess the prevalence, severity, and geographical distribution of mental health disorders, allowing the state government to plan and deliver services based on local needs.
She noted that the absence of a standardised assessment tool had often delayed the identification of mental health conditions, affecting timely treatment.
GMHAT is expected to address this gap by providing a uniform and scientific screening mechanism. The tool will be rolled out in phases, beginning with Jaipur Medical College, Jodhpur Medical College, and AIIMS Jodhpur, before being expanded to all districts of Rajasthan.
The phased implementation is expected to make mental healthcare services across the state more accessible, efficient, and evidence-based.
Senior officials present at the meeting included Kathryn Robinson and Vimal Sharma from the University of Manchester; Anil Agrawal, Health Specialist at Unicef Rajasthan; S.M. Swami, State Nodal Officer of National Mental Health Programme (NMHP); and Rashmi Gupta and Monica Singh from the Directorate of Medical Education (DRME).
–IANS
arc/khz