CM Devendra Fadnavis Announces Major Expansion of Mental Healthcare Infrastructure in Maharashtra
In a significant move aimed at strengthening mental healthcare services and increasing the number of trained mental health professionals, the Maharashtra government has announced plans to convert four regional mental health hospitals into full-fledged teaching institutes.
The announcement was made by Devendra Fadnavis, who described the initiative as a “human-centric step” focused on improving access to modern, quality mental healthcare for vulnerable and underserved communities across the state.
The proposed transformation will take place at the Regional Mental Health Hospitals located in Pune’s Yerawada, Thane, Ratnagiri, and Nagpur. These institutions currently function as major government-run psychiatric care centres, providing both outpatient and inpatient mental healthcare services.
Maharashtra’s Regional Mental Hospitals Have Around 5,700 Beds
Collectively, the four mental health hospitals have nearly 5,700 beds, making them among the largest public mental healthcare facilities in Maharashtra.
One of the key institutions included in the plan is the Yerawada Regional Mental Hospital in Pune. Established in 1915, the hospital spans 138 acres and is considered one of the oldest psychiatric facilities in the state.
The hospital has an indoor treatment capacity of 2,540 patients and currently houses 921 inmates. It caters to patients from several districts including Pune, Solapur, Satara, Ahmednagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Dharashiv, Latur, Nanded, Hingoli, and Parbhani.
Government Aims to Improve Research, Treatment Quality and Skilled Workforce
According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the existing infrastructure and experienced manpower available at these institutions make them ideal for academic expansion.
He stated that upgrading these hospitals into teaching institutes would help improve treatment standards, encourage mental health research, and create a larger pool of trained professionals in psychiatry and related disciplines.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen access to affordable and modern mental healthcare services across Maharashtra.
Initiative Aligned With National Mental Health Programme
The state government’s decision aligns with the Centre’s manpower development scheme under the National Mental Health Programme, which focuses on increasing postgraduate training opportunities in mental health disciplines and addressing the shortage of specialists in the country.
Officials said Maharashtra had already approved several academic programmes in 2019 for selected mental health hospitals. These included:
- MD Psychiatry
- MPhil in Clinical Psychology
- MPhil in Psychiatric Social Work
- Diploma courses in Psychiatric Nursing
Nagpur Mental Hospital Already Running MD Psychiatry Programme
At the Nagpur Regional Mental Hospital, the MD Psychiatry programme has been operational since the 2022–23 academic session in collaboration with Indira Gandhi Government Medical College.
The programme admits four students every year. So far, 12 students have enrolled, while two students have already completed the course successfully.
Psychiatric Nursing Courses Expanded in Pune and Thane
The expansion of psychiatric nursing education has also started in Maharashtra’s regional mental hospitals.
Diploma courses in psychiatric nursing were launched at the Thane and Pune mental health hospitals during the 2022–23 academic year. Each institute admits 20 students annually.
According to reports, 59 students from Thane and 60 students from Pune have already completed the programme, marking an important step toward strengthening the state’s mental healthcare workforce.
Maharashtra Focuses on Modern Mental Healthcare Access
The Maharashtra government believes that converting mental hospitals into teaching institutes will not only improve medical education in psychiatry but also help modernise mental healthcare delivery in the state.
The initiative is expected to create better training opportunities for doctors, psychologists, social workers, and nursing professionals while improving treatment accessibility for patients across Maharashtra.
