In a significant step towards improving the mental well-being of the nation’s defense personnel, the Armed Forces Medical Services and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). It is for collaborative research and training aimed at enhancing mental health support and care for the Armed Forces.
The MoU was signed by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, AVSM, VSM, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services and Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS in a ceremony attended by senior officials from both institutions.
The collaboration between AFMS and NIMHANS will focus on strengthening mental health services, conducting specialized training for medical personnel, and developing innovative programs to address the mental health issues faced by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, their families and dependents.
The key objectives of the MoU include collaborative research, faculty exchange and academic activities. NIMHANS, with its expertise in Neuropsychiatry, will provide help in conducting research on advanced Psychiatric care and support to military personnel, addressing common issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD), Anxiety, and Depression.
Surg VAdm Arti Sarin, in a statement said that “the mental health of our soldiers is as important as their physical health. This partnership with NIMHANS will ensure that our personnel receive the best possible support to cope with the challenges they face while serving our country”.
Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS, stated that “it is an honor to collaborate with the Armed Forces Medical Services to bring the Institute’s expertise in mental health care to the defense sector. The aim will be to provide world-class support to those who serve our nation, ensuring they receive the mental health care they deserve.
This collaborative venture is a critical step in recognizing the importance of mental health for Armed Forces personnel and is expected to set a benchmark for similar initiatives across the country.
Both organizations are committed to providing comprehensive mental health services that contribute to the overall welfare of the Armed Forces. The Armed Force Medical Services (AFMS) is an inter-services organization under the Ministry of Defense, covering the Indian Armed Forces. It came into existence in 1948. The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, a three-star officer, is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services and is responsible to the Government for the overall medical policy in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces.
In March 1947 the Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee headed by Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was appointed by the Government of India to consider the integration of three armed forces medical services.
The committee recommended that there should be three branches of the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force and that there should be a Supreme Controller of all the three medical services designated as Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) who would be the advisor to the Supreme Commander or the Defense Minister, as the case may be, regarding the medical needs of the Armed Forces. They would be the administrative head of the Armed Forces Medical Services.
Accordingly, the Government in 1948 integrated the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force into the Armed Forces Medical Service and placed the services under the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services with the rank of Lieutenant General / Vice Admiral / Air Marshal.
The Government also laid down the role and character of responsibilities of the DGAFMS, who was made directly responsible to the Ministry of Defense for overall medical policy matters in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. The Government further laid down that the heads of medical services of Army, Navy and Air Force will be responsible for functioning of these services under the respective Service Chiefs in accordance with any general policy directions that may be given by the DGAFMS. The charter has since been amended and updated from time to time.
The AFMS consists of Army Medical Corps (AMC) including AMC (NT), Army Dental Corps (AD Corps) and Military Nursing Service (MNS). Hospitals in the Army are classified into various categories as Sectional, Peripheral, Mid Zonal, Zonal, Command, Army Hospital (Research & Referral), based on bed strength and extent of availability of specialties
The Armed Forces Medical College, Pune (AFMC) is the premier training institution of the AFMS established in May 1948. Other select hospitals such as AH (R&R), CH (AF) Bengaluru and INHS Ashwini Mumbai also impart post graduate training to the AMC officers. The College of Nursing at AFMC conducts a four-year degree course in Nursing.
On the other hand, spread across an area of 135 acres in the heart of the garden city Bangaluru, the central campus of NIMHANS combines mental health and neurosciences under one roof. It is a world-renowned center of excellence in the realm of mental health and neurosciences. NIMHANS embodies a tripartite mission of delivering unparalleled patient care, conducting pioneering research, and imparting cutting-edge training.
One of the notable milestones was the founding of the Bangalore Lunatic Asylum in 1847. Dr. Charles Irwing Smith, a British medical practitioner stationed in Bangalore, played a crucial role in the formation of this institution.
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