Srinagar, April 12: Amid poor mental health services for children, child and adolescent psychiatry services have not figured in the list of recently created various sub-specialties for the upcoming 500-bedded Children Hospital at Bemina, Srinagar.

An official of the health department said the establishment of the hospital was designed with the idea of providing all healthcare services for children under one single roof.

“Although several new pediatric sub-specialties were created, it seems the creation of the child and adolescent psychiatry services has been ill-conceived not based on the need of the general public,” said a child psychiatrist, working in a public hospital in Srinagar.

Earlier designated as Mother and Childcare Institute, the upcoming hospital was declared to be established as a full-fledged pediatric hospital with 500 bed capacity in 2019.

He said that frequent referrals from the children hospital for rendering mental health services would jeopardize the very principle for which it was established.

“Creation of child and adolescent psychiatry services will reduce referral services as many people choose to send patients outside Jammu Kashmir,” he said.

The doctor said given the current trends in child mental health issues it is shocking that this sub-speciality was ignored despite the recommendation for its inclusion by Government Medical College, Srinagar.

Doctors and child care experts here have expressed their resentment at the deliberate attempt on the part of the government to sabotage the demand.

They said the mental health services for children are limited as these are currently provided at Child Guidance and Well-being centre run with the support of UNICEF at Psychiatry Diseases Hospital.

“Nothing substantial services exist anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir where there is a huge number of children afflicted with mental health-related problems and is in all probability going to be a major public health challenge in future,” said a senior paediatrician.

Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, Atal Dulloo said psychiatry services are available at the Institute of mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) at GMC Srinagar.

“That is under their control. GMC Srinagar can take a call or they can shift their services to the new hospital,” he said.