RINPAS to Set Up 20-Bed Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit

The Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS) will establish a 20-bed inpatient unit for children and adolescents as part of a broader plan to expand specialised mental healthcare and medical education at the institute.

A meeting to discuss the proposed unit was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary of the Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department Ajay Kumar Singh at his office. Additional Secretary Shashi Prakash Singh, RINPAS Director Dr Jayati Simlai, Assistant Director Mithilesh Choudhary and other officials attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Singh reviewed the status and existing capacity of RINPAS’s 100-bed psychiatric residential shelter home. He also assessed the resources and facilities currently available at the institute and directed officials to identify areas requiring improvement and expansion.

The Additional Chief Secretary directed RINPAS to take steps to restart the Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing (DPN) course, along with the necessary psychiatric nursing classes and supporting infrastructure.

He also stressed the need to revive advanced training programmes in specialised areas of psychiatry. This includes restarting MD-level training in psychiatry and developing DM-level super-speciality programmes in areas such as child and adolescent and geriatric psychiatry.

Officials were directed to develop the required infrastructure and put in place the facilities and other arrangements needed to run the specialised programmes. The expansion of training and specialist services is expected to strengthen the availability of specialised psychiatric care for patients.

The meeting also reviewed sanctioned and currently filled posts at the institute. Singh directed officials to undertake a comprehensive reassessment of staffing requirements and restructure posts wherever necessary. Proposals are to be prepared after assessing the type and number of personnel required in different departments and areas of work.

The Additional Chief Secretary further directed officials to initiate necessary steps for introducing super-speciality courses at RINPAS. He said expanding specialist medical education and treatment facilities would help improve patient care while also strengthening the institute's academic capabilities.

He also emphasised the need to work towards restoring RINPAS's institutional reputation and strengthening its functioning, with a focus on improving both specialised treatment and medical education facilities.