Bengaluru, Feb 18 (IANS): Exhorting graduating students of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences here to treat patients with empathy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said they must work towards eradication of superstitions concerning mental illness in society.

Addressing the convocation ceremony of the institute, Modi said superstitions often blocked proper treatment for the mentally ill.

"The field of mental health faces the triple challenges of lack of knowledge, lack of awareness, and superstition, and people have to understand that mental illness can be treated, and is curable scientifically," Modi said.

He told them that people from various sections of society, in some way or the other, had contributed in their success and that they should "always attempt to live and work for the benefit of the poor and underprivileged sections of society".

This is the way to find inner happiness, he said.

He said their task was tough, but he was confident "that their education and their spirit of service would help them accomplish what they had set out to do".

The prime minister added that along with skill and education, a certain empathy was also required from doctors while treating patients suffering from mental ailments.

Union Ministers Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and J.P. Nadda, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister Siddaramiah were also present on the occasion.