Mental illness must be treated like physical sickness, judge

Mental illness must be treated like physical sickness, judge

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 13, 2016: Additional District and Sessions Judge C M Joshi,  speaking after inaugurating the World Mental Health Day observed by the district Health and Family Welfare department and other organisations at RAPCC in district Wenlock hospital in Mangaluru.  Stating that mental illness has been associated with a stigma in society, he said there aren’t enough psychiatrists to treat mentally disturbed patients and the ratio of mentally ill patients and psychiatrists is alarming. Mental illness is curable as other physical ailments like fever and cold. We do not condemn those who suffer from fever and cold. Similarly, we should not distance those who are mentally disturbed it can happen to anyone.
District Surgeon Dr Rajeshwari Devi H R said that around 15% people are suffering from mental illness of any one nature or the other. There are lot of reasons such as family environment, social environment, usage of alcohol, drugs and others for mental illness. Community participation can be of great relief for mentally disturbed people. World Mental Health Federation has been creating awareness on mental health since 1992, she added.

Mangalore Bar Association president S P Chengappa said that even though mental health care bill 2013 is drafted, it has not been passed in the parliament.

Stating that both abetment to suicide and attempt to suicide are considered as crime as per Indian Penal Code, he urged that the punishment for the attempt to suicide should be deleted from IPC section 309 as the punishment may intensify the pain of the victim. Noting that the mentally disturbed patients have no access to medical treatment, he said that mental health should also be included in medical insurance.

A J Hospital Psychiatry department Head Dr Ravish Tunga, who was the resourceperson of the day, said if given treatment in the initial level, the intensification of mental illness can be prevented. Asylum for mentally disturbed patients is the worst situation that one can come across and mental illness should not be given cause to grow, he said and called upon Asha workers to create awareness among people on mental health.  Out of the entire population of the nation, one crore 20 lakh patients are suffering from schizophrenia. But there are only 12,000 psychiatrists in the country, he added.

Homage was paid to Psychiatrist Dr Ashok Pai who passed away recently by observing a silence of one minute. A skit was performed by the students of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya on the occasion.