Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)
Kakala, Sep 19: "No orderly systems are in place for handling mental disorders of rural communities. Even a developed country like Australia faces this problem. Because of the shortage of of expert psychologists, trained personnel and technical resources, the mental disorder has become a global problem," noted Dr Russel D'Souza, director, Bipolar Research, Melbourne University, Australia.
He was speaking after inaugurating the international conference on 'Minimum-treaded Path of Rural Psychology' being held at the auditorium of Nitte Justice K S Hegde Management Institute under the aegis of Nitte Rural Psychiatric Services Centre, sponsored by Nitte University, on Friday September 18.
India commands its own eminence in the growth of the community psychology treatment system. However, political will has been a stumbling block in this direction. The problem can be overcome only when the government takes enough care about the maintenance of mental balance of the community people, he felt.
Nitte University chancellor N Vinay Hegde, who presided, said that 60 crore people of the country are deprived of primary health services. He requested family members to understand the problems of the people suffering from mental imbalance or any other complications. "They should be looked after with love and trust, without neglecting them. Depression can set in because of pressure-filled professional life and some problems in the societal life. The psychiatric counselling centre that functions all the days in Nitte, was opened in this rural place with the specific objective of ensuring that even the rural people should have access to the facility of mental health treatment. Within the next year, the facility will be improved by adding about ten beds, ambulance service, etc.," he explained.
Psychiatric counsellor from Australia, Veigan Kurnbull, inaugurated the psychiatric counselling centre. Dr Navinchandra welcomed. Justice K S Hegde Management Institute director Dr M S Mooditaya proposed vote of thanks. Shabari Shetty compered the programme.