Featured

Budget 2022: Experts In Odisha Laud National Tele Mental Health Programme, Want Proper Training For Counsellors

By
OB Bureau

Bhubaneswar: Dubbing the surge in mental health cases as a ‘shadow pandemic’ amid the prevailing COVID situation, mental health experts in Odisha welcomed the announcement of the ‘National Tele Mental Health’ programme in Budget 2022.

While presenting the Budget 2022, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday stated that the COVID pandemic has accentuated mental health problems in people of all ages. In wake of such incidents, the Budget this year proposed the launch of 23 tele-mental health centres with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) as the nodal centre. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bangalore would provide tech support for the mental health programme, she added.

President of Indian Psychiatric Society, Odisha state branch, Dr Pranab Mohapatra said such a programme is a much-needed step towards the mental wellbeing of our country.

“People have lost jobs and sources of earning. Some have lost close ones to COVID. Our social activities have stalled and students have stopped going to school. This has caused a shadow pandemic of mental distress. There is a surge in the cases of anxiety and depression and even cases of suicides. Patients with major mental disorders are unable to reach out for treatment due to fear and restrictions during the waves of the pandemic. The National Tele Mental Health programme will help patients to reach out to mental health professionals in times of distress even if they are far away physically. This will provide timely advice and suggestions for further care,” he added.

However, the mental health expert also opined that there is a need to increase the capacity of mental health workers to effectively deliver services across digital platforms in a structured way.

A section of mental health experts like Anuradha Mohapatra of Manam Wellness Centre emphasized that it was of utmost importance that the tele-counsellors would be trained for the programme. “When you are talking about qualitative counselling, the focus should be on proper training of those being roped in for the programme. They should be able to handle even acute cases of suicide. Another concern is whether these centres would have 24×7 facilities. The knowledge of the local language will also be a key factor so as to reach out to people in the rural areas as well,” she said, adding that the government must think of increasing the number of such centres considering the huge volume of cases.

Lauding the initiative, psychiatrist Samrat Kar said the government should also focus on including more psychiatric medicines or all drugs used for treating various mental health disorders so that psychiatrists can prescribe those to the patients. They should inculcate modern mental health treatment, besides the traditional methods, he added.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

Former BJD MLA Blames Naveen Patnaik For Party’s Debacle In Odisha Polls

Bhubaneswar: After several Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders blamed VK Pandian for the regional party’s…

November 8, 2024

PM Modi Slams Opposition’s Article 370 Resolution: ‘Conspiracy Against Kashmir’

Mumbai: The Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance which formed the government in Jammu & Kashmir after winning…

November 8, 2024

Chief Justice Chandrachud’s Last Day At Work: ‘Forgive Me If I Ever Hurt Anyone’

New Delhi: It was the last day in office for Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud as Chief…

November 8, 2024

Orissa HC Refuses To Quash FIR Against Lawyer Accused Of Taking Money From Client To Bribe Judge

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has refused to quash a criminal case against a lawyer…

November 8, 2024

Low Pressure Over Bay Of Bengal In 48 Hours; Check Forecast For Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a…

November 8, 2024

Congress Activists Hurl Eggs At Odisha HE Minister’s Residence In Bhubaneswar; Know Why

Bhubaneswar: Activists of the students’ wing of Odisha Congress staged a demonstration and threw eggs…

November 8, 2024

Love Jihad? Kashmiri Youth Held In Bhubaneswar For ‘Blackmailing’ Woman For Marriage

Bhubaneswar: Mahila Police in Bhubaneswar on Friday detained a Kashmiri Muslim youth, Samir Mansoor, for…

November 8, 2024

Woman RI Faints After Tehsildar’s Phone Call In Odisha; Husband Moves Police Alleging Mental Torture

Keonjhar: A woman Revenue Inspector (RI) reportedly fainted after Ghasipura Tehsildar in Odisha’s Keonjhar district…

November 8, 2024