A mix of faith and medicines: This collaborative project in Maharashtra is aligning belief with best practises to treat patients

“In the last one and a half years, over 1,000 patients have been counselled at the OPD and nearly 300 are on medication,” says 26-year-old Dr Gargi Sapkal who completed her studies in dentistry in Pune and returned to Buldhana to actively manage the project.

“We aim to help families who visit the Sailani Baba Dargah – a famous shrine – by combining faith with medicine,” Dr Dabholkar told The Indian Express.

Parivartan Trust is a community-based NGO that was started by late Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Dr Shaila Dabholkar.

Parivartan Trust is a community-based NGO that was started by late Dr Narendra Dabholkar and Dr Shaila Dabholkar.

The couple, through their work related to superstitions, realised that lack of awareness of scientific treatments for mental health problems and addictions was one of the most important reasons for exploitation, stigma and exclusion.

Over the years, Dr Hamid Dabholkar, who manages the trust, entered various collaborations to provide mental health services in resource-limited settings. He has also tied up with Matrubhumi Foundation and Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti one and a half years ago to encourage families who pray for their beloved ones suffering from mental health challenges to ensure that they take medication for better recovery.

According to folklore, Hazrat Haji Abdur Rehman Shah alias Sailani Shah Baba, who had come to Pimplegaon Sarai – a large village in Buldhana district – had helped many persons “possessed by evil” elements.

The dargah was built in his memory and since 1908, an annual urs is celebrated in March where several lakhs of people visit the place and offer prayers. However, the belief in the “healing” powers – especially for mental illnesses — is so strong that over the years, followers refrain from any medical intervention.

Admitting that the sight of mentally ill persons being chained or roaming around the place is not unusual, Dr Dabholkar said they wanted to introduce a project here and convince families about the role of medicines combined with faith.

Over the years, Dr Hamid Dabholkar, who manages the trust, entered various collaborations to provide mental health services in resource-limited settings.

Abdul Samad Shaikh Chand, Chairman of the trust, adds that they had allotted two to three rooms at the Dargah trust’s office. “There has been an impact,” he adds.

Dr Jagdish Naik, a psychiatrist from Parbhani, is among the three to four others who join in teleconsultation with patients free of cost. “Most of the families are from low-income groups. Because of the belief in the ‘healing’ powers, they leave their homes in neighbouring villages and come here to seek a cure’,” says Dr Naik.

He adds, “For instance, there was a girl in her 20s who would hear voices and would get violent with her family. The girl had symptoms of schizophrenia and the team working on the Dawa Dua project convinced them to start treatment. After a year, she is on the recovery path,” Dr Naik said.

“Majority of the work is taken by Dr Gargi Sapkal and her team that includes a few who have recovered from mental illnesses,” adds Dr Dabholkar.

Dr Sapkal too recounts an instance of a 23-year-old girl who had come with her family to Pimpalgaon Sarai seeking a “cure” for her brother’s violent fits. “He had completed his Class 12 exam and had secured 75 percent but lost a year as he struggled with symptoms of schizophrenia. The girl too started getting depressed and our team them began to interact with the family members and encourage them to attend the OPD and counselling sessions. A year later, the boy wants to pursue academics and the girl is now a peer educator and visits homes motivating them to consider medication along with their devotion,” Dr Sapkal adds.