There are less than 4,000 psychiatrists in the country and their strength in government hospitals is far less, the government has said in its reply to a parliamentary committee.
The mental health facilities in the country is also numbered at 38.
Government has informed the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Family Welfare that the number of psychiatrists in the country is "not more than 4000". The number of psychiatrists in the public sector is far less, according to the report.
"The number (of psychiatrists) in the public sector, amongst these 4,000, would be small. Many are in private practice," the report said, quoting the government.
The Committee tabled its report on the issue before Parliament on December 9.
The number of professionals is not adequate, but clearly the onus is on the department to create a much larger number of health professionals in this area, the government said.
The government also admitted that there are only 38 mental health facilities in the country.
P Satishchandra, Director National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, who appeared before the Committee said efforts were being made to improve the situation.
A demeed university, NIMHANS functions under the direction of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Government of Karnataka.
Satishchandra said that post-graduate education in Psychiatry in the country is growing well as compared to few years back; and in the last few years the number of seats have been doubled.
"In all medical colleges now, Psychiatry department has been started. The central institutes like NIMHANS, Bengaluru and Central Institute of Psychiatry (Ranchi) and Tejpur have doubled the intake of seats," Satishchandra told the Committee.
