India-Australia Collaboration in Mental Health
The Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has collaborated with Asia Australia Mental Health to organise an International Conference and Workshop on Community Mental Health Development in New Delhi 17-19 February 2011.
Inaugurated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare Government of India in the auspicious presence of H. E. Mr. Peter Varghese Australian High Commissioner to India Commonwealth of Australia, the three day event was co-hosted at National Institute of Health and Family Welfare. Assistant Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Professor Bruce Singh represented the University of Melbourne at the opening ceremony of the conference. The distinguished participants included representatives from the Asia Pacific Community Mental Health Development Project (APCMHDP), a network of mental health government officials, chief psychiatrists and research leaders from seventeen countries.
This partnership comes from a 5-year history of productive collaboration between Asia-Australia Mental Health (AAMH) and the Directorate General of Health Services of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
The theme of the meeting was ‘Building Partnership in Community Mental Health’. Participants discussed ways to promote and advocate for the development of community mental health in India and the Asia-Pacific, and to share knowledge and insights about best practice partnerships in community mental health in each of the network countries.
This inaugural partnership and auspicious event has the potential for Australia to have strong engagement with the Government of India and substantial involvement of influential stakeholders and the global community. The joint project in mental health has important implications for future education and knowledge transfer enterprise, and will build on the new linkages and collaboration in education and research in global health.
Building Partnerships in Community Mental Health workshop - Delhi, India February 2011