Chhattisgarh Govt Writes to PSC for Doctor Recruitment at Sendri Mental Hospital Amid Staff Shortage

April 28, 2026 : The Chhattisgarh state government has informed the High Court that it has written to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to initiate the recruitment of doctors for the mental hospital located in Sendri, addressing the ongoing shortage of medical staff.

The update came during a hearing on the matter, where the court directed the government to provide a progress report in the next hearing scheduled for June. The court also instructed authorities to ensure recruitment of staff and arrangement of necessary equipment in accordance with prescribed rules and provisions.

Earlier, following the High Court’s directions, the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare conducted an inspection of the Sendri Mental Health Hospital. During the visit, officials were instructed to address deficiencies and implement corrective measures to improve facilities and patient care.

Notably, the Sendri facility is the only mental health hospital in the state, and concerns have been raised regarding the lack of adequate infrastructure and services. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the High Court highlighting these issues, while the court also took suo motu cognizance of the matter. Both cases are currently being heard together.

The petition pointed out a severe shortage of psychiatrists in the state. As per World Health Organization (WHO) norms, there should be one psychiatrist for every 10,000 people. However, in the state, there is reportedly only one psychiatrist for every 800,000 people. Additionally, provisions mandate that each district should have a mental health center along with a qualified psychiatrist, which is currently not being met.