HYDERABAD: All it takes is a few minutes of counselling to prevent the burgeoning suicide of farmers but unfortunately it isn’t even recognised as a solution here, leave alone adopting it.
A Telugu psychiatrist, Vidyasagar Vangala, based in Florida, USA., is perturbed with the absence of such facilities to save the precious lives of farmers who take to the extreme step with emotional reasons.
Hailing from Singarajupalli near Jangaon, Dr. Vangala, who was recently in India, spoke to a few farmers in his district to find that several of them were on the verge of committing suicide. “It pains me that most of these suicides can be prevented with a session or two by the psychiatrists,” he says.
Dr. Vangala has now decided to get in touch with the farmers directly in his area through a group of friends and offer counselling free of cost.
“If I can save at least two or three suicides also I will be happy,” says the alumnus of Osmania Medical College and a Fellow of American Psychiatric Association (FAPA). First awareness has to be created on identifying the symptoms of depression and suicidal tendencies, and the availability of resources. Family members or friends can easily identify and then guide them to psychiatry help, he says.
He is now talking to identified sarpanches in Telangana to create awareness.
He feels Government should play a key role in creating awareness about the availability of resources as it is easy to intervene before suicides happen.
In fact, Dr. Vangala has roped in a few like-minded people to start a Tele-Psychiatry site ‘www.cencare.net’ through which free consultation services is being provided to the residents of the Amma Nanna Anadha Ashramam near Choutappal in Yadadri district.
“We are also making arrangements to provide the medication free of cost to these resident at the expense of the cencare,” says the doctor.
With the access of smartphones or basic mobiles, he feels it is easy to counsel from any part of the world through tele-psychiatry.
“People can receive consultation services and treatment for their psychiatric problems in the privacy and comfort of their homes. Video conferences through phones is another smart option,” says Dr. Vangala, who is currently the Medical Director of Mid-Florida Psychiatry Center with faculty appointments at NOVA Southeastern University and Barry University.
