Initiative to strengthen perinatal mental healthcare to be piloted in T.N.’s Villupuram district

As a part of the initiative, Village Health Nurses and medical officers are being trained to screen pregnant women for mental health problems, particularly depression, during the antenatal and postnatal periods and facilitate timely and appropriate care

Updated - November 03, 2026 10:18 am IST - CHENNAI

Doctors from the Institute of Mental Health said that globally, studies indicate that the prevalence of antenatal depression ranges from 10% to 20%. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tamil Nadu is preparing to pilot an initiative to strengthen perinatal mental healthcare by making screening available at the primary healthcare level. As a part of the initiative, Village Health Nurses (VHNs) and medical officers are being trained to screen pregnant women for mental health problems, particularly depression, during the antenatal and postnatal periods and facilitate timely and appropriate care.

The ‘Thai Manam’ project is set to be piloted, with VHNs and medical officers in four blocks of Villupuram district — Kanai, Koliyanur, Vallam, and Mugaiyur — who are undergoing training as part of a collaborative initiative involving the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, and the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine.

Published - November 02, 2026 09:27 pm IST

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