'Rehab centre for mentally ill patients in every district'

Rehabilitation centre for mentally ill patients will be opened in every district, in order to make the State a model for mental fitness, said State Mental Health Task Force Chairman Dr Ashok Pai.

Addressing media persons on Saturday, he said that for the first time in the nation, a task force for mental health has been set up in the state which intends to provide proper treatment to patients with mental illness. The State government has decided to open rehabilitation centres in every district for patients suffering from long term as well chronic mental disorder. Training programmes too will be organised for teachers and trainers to look after mentally challenged children and patients suffering from cerebral palsy and multiple illness.

“Every mental disorder could be cured with systematic treatment. Unfortunately, several families do not come forward to treat the patients owing to social factors. The mental illness should be countered in its first phase itself. There is a need to create awareness on this subject,” Pai said.

If 40 psychiatrists are trained in the State every year, 50 per cent of them migrate to foreign countries. At present, the number of psychiatrists in Karnataka is 180. Keeping this problem in mind, the task force has decided to work towards solving this problem, he said.

Analysing the current situation, he said Bangalore city which is known as ‘Sillicon city’ is now on the process of becoming the capital of suicides. It is in the second place in the number of suicides committed by teenagers. The change in work style, pressure are the reasons for increase in number of suicides. Taking a note of the dangerous situation, the government is planning to organise mental health programmes in every district, by keeping aside Rs one crore for each district, he said.
DH News Service