CHANDIGARH: Following the recent induction of 11 non-official members to give fresh impetus to psychiatric care, the newly constituted State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) convened a review meeting on Tuesday in the presence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh.
Presiding over the meeting alongside Principal Secretary-cum-Chairperson (Ex-officio) Kumar Rahul and Director Health Services Punjab-cum-Member (Ex-officio) Dr Hitinder Kaur, the Health Minister formally welcomed the newly appointed ex-officio and non-official members, several of whom attended the proceedings virtually.
The broad-based panel brings together seasoned psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, mental health nurses, NGO representatives, as well as nominated caregivers and individuals with lived experience of mental illness, ensuring that ground realities directly guide state policy.
Addressing the authority, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh reiterated that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government is steadfast in its resolve to uphold the core mandate of the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017 by ensuring that high-quality, humane, and stigma-free psychiatric services are easily accessible to every citizen without discrimination.
