Sri Vijaya Puram, May 10: The Department of Community Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, ANIIMS, jointly launched the Qualitative Survey Phase of the National Mental Health Survey – 2 (NMHS-2) — marking the very first day of a study that could redefine how Tuberculosis care is understood and delivered across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
This pioneering initiative, being conducted for the first time in the Islands, aims to understand the psychological challenges, emotional distress, social difficulties and overall mental health conditions experienced by TB patients during and after their treatment journey. The survey will also explore the stigma, social barriers and treatment-related hardships faced by individuals affected by TB. The study is expected to generate crucial evidence to strengthen mental health support systems for TB patients and improve integrated healthcare services in the region. By identifying key mental and social health concerns, the findings will help shape future interventions and policies to enhance patient care and recovery outcomes.
Through carefully structured In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), the study today begins capturing data from three distinct groups of TB patients: those currently on treatment, those who have successfully completed treatment and those who have defaulted from treatment; each carrying a profoundly different story, each deserving to be heard.
Every participating patient is also being presented with a high-protein nutritional snack box, recognising that healing the mind and nourishing the body are inseparable pillars of recovery.
This study directly advances India’s National TB Elimination Mission and the vision of Universal Health Coverage, aligning with the Government’s commitment to a TB-free India.