NIMHANS bags WHO’s Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion for 2024

Mains Paper 2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Why in the News?

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India’s premier mental health institution, has been honoured with the “Nelson Mandela Award” for Health Promotion by the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2024.

	Details
Location	Bangalore, India
Affiliation	Autonomous institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Ranking	Ranked 4th best medical institute in India by the “*National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)”*
History	Founded in 1847 as the Bangalore Lunatic Asylum. Renamed as the Mental Hospital in 1925. Amalgamated with the All India Institute of Mental Health (AIIMH) in 1974 to form NIMHANS. Conferred with deemed university status by the University Grants Commission in 1994. Declared an Institute of National Importance by an act of parliament in 2012.
Governance	Operates with academic autonomy under the “Societies Registration Act”. Prioritises service, manpower development, and research in mental health and neurosciences. A multidisciplinary integrated approach was adopted for translating research results into practice.
Funding	Receives resources for academic and research activities from national and international funding organisations.
Outreach	Engages in mental health outreach initiatives including critiquing mental health reports and collaborating with government agencies for training and counseling. Known for diagnosing and treating various mental health conditions including depression and neurobiological disorders.

Aspect	Details
Establishment Year	1995
Presented by	World Health Organization (WHO)
Purpose	Recognizing outstanding contributions and achievements in health promotion worldwide
Namesake	Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa
Criteria for Recognition	Innovative approaches Sustainable Impact Dedication to health equity and social justice
Recipients	Individuals, organisations, institutions, or communities
Selection Process	Based on significant strides in health promotion Consideration of efforts in disease prevention and well-being improvement, especially among disadvantaged populations
Presentation	Occurs during special ceremonies or events Often coincides with key health promotion initiatives or milestones
Significance	Symbolises recognition and encouragement for ongoing efforts in health promotion Highlights the importance of collective action and collaboration in addressing health challenges and achieving public health and sustainable development goals

[2021] We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves.

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