Uttarakhand – Uttarakhand’s Health Department has launched a new initiative with NIMHANS, Bengaluru, to train healthcare workers in providing mental health and psychosocial support during disasters. The program, guided by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, was inaugurated at the Health Department’s Training Centre, Chandar Nagar, Dehradun.
The three-phase training will cover Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, and Nainital districts. Around 100 healthcare workers, including psychiatrists, medical officers, counsellors, and social workers, will be trained over two months to support disaster-affected families at district and block levels.
Health Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar said the department aims to ensure that every district has trained professionals who can offer both medical and emotional assistance. “Disasters not only destroy homes but also affect minds. Our focus is on rebuilding emotional strength along with physical recovery,” he said.
Director General Dr. Sunita Tamta, who inaugurated the program, emphasized the need to heal mental trauma alongside physical wounds. The state plans to expand the initiative to all districts and form Mental Health Response Teams to assist communities during disasters, making Uttarakhand a national model for psychosocial disaster management.
