Puneites join in World Mental Health week celebrations
A mental health awareness walk will be held on October 9.
3 min read
From organising trips of at least 40 mentally ill patients to Goa and setting up bonding sessions with families, the state’s largest mental hospital at Yerawada has also got the go ahead to several pending proposals to modernise the institution in its centenary year commencing in October this year.
Dr B Donglikar, medical superintendent at Yerawada regional mental hospital told Newsline that a series of events have been planned for the entire year and several committees have been set up that are being chaired by district guardian minister Girish Bapat and others. Proposals like building a compound wall, constructing more toilets, renovating some wards and others have been approved, Donglikar said.
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Meanwhile as part of the World Mental Health week, celebrations commenced at regional hospital, BJ Medical College and Sassoon general hospital, Maharashtra Institute of Mental health and other private organisations from Monday. Std IX students of Stella Mary school at Wadgaonsheri visited the mental hospital at Yerawada and interacted with mentally ill patients, teaching them to paint diyas for Diwali. Throughout the day, workshops and awareness programmes were held at the institution on how to manage teenage stress and other issues. Workshops on drug addiction and stress management were also held at the police headquarters in Shivajinagar. Exhibitions will be held at Pune railway station and bus stands as part of the mental health awareness week.
At BJ Medical College, a movie ‘Life is beautiful’, was screened on Monday. Organised by the psychiatry department and Maharashtra Institute of Mental health, the week long celebrations has the theme ‘Dignity in mental health’. In India, psychiatric disorders contribute to
11.6 per cent of the global burden disease. Dr Ajay Chandanwale, Dean of BJMC and Sassoon general hospital said that recent advancements in the field of psychotropic drugs has helped improve the management of symptoms of the illness while psychosocial rehabilitation has helped patients integrate with society.
Dr Alka Pawar, head of the department of psychiatry at BJMC said that competitions will be held to sensitise students and professionals to uphold the dignity of individuals with mental illness. Dr Vidyadhar Watve, national president of the Indian Psychiatry Society will be felicitated during the course of the week long celebrations, she said. A mental health awareness walk will be held on October 9. An interactive session with Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, a noted physician and author who overcame depression and conducts intensive research which has been published in top medical journals like The Lancet, will be organised.
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