Mental illnesses should be treated like any other illness, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said, calling for a change in society’s attitude to those afflicted by mental illness. Anyone can be afflicted by mental illness any time, and it is sad that there is no acceptance for people cured of their illness, he added.
He was inaugurating Snehakkoodu, a rehabilitation scheme for those cured of mental illnesses, envisaged by the State government, at the State Mental Health Centre (MHC) at Peroorkada here on Monday. A good number of those who reach mental hospitals continue to remain here despite recovering from their illness, since the families are not prepared to take them back. Snehakkoodu, an initiative led by The Banyan, is for such people who are trying to make a new life for themselves, he said.
Joint venture
The project is the joint initiative of the Health Department, Arogyakeralam, the Chennai-based The Banyan Trust, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Hans Foundation. Through this initiative, the Health Department is trying to rehabilitate those who are still in the three Mental Health Centres in the State despite recovering from the illness. The MoU between the State government and The Banyan was exchanged on the occasion. Mr. Vijayan also laid the foundation stone for a ₹4-crore modern medical observation ward for male patients at the MHC here. The MHC would be transformed as the State Mental Health Research Institute, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja said.
The government has started mental health clinics in all family health centres. To strengthen mental health care in other public sector hospitals ₹15 crore has been set aside in the budget, she said. A master plan for rehabilitation is being prepared for the MHC at Kozhikode, she added.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan; National Health Mission, State Mission Director, Kesavendrakumar; Chairman, The Hindu Publishing Group, N. Ram; former Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand; The Banyan representative Vandana Gopikumar; and representatives of TISS, Hans Foundation, and senior Health officials were present.
