KOZHIKODE: For most of them, it was the first visit to the Government Mental Health Centre in Kozhikode after they left the institution more than 25 years ago on completion of psychiatry service. The 1984 batch MBBS and BDS students of Government Medical College, Kozhikode, had a nostalgic get-together at the centre at Kuthiravattom on Sunday. And, they made it memorable by contributing articles worth ₹50,000 to the centre.
“This place has changed much over the last few years. Now, it looks like a hospital. Earlier, it resembled a jail,” said M.C. Rajesh, a leading medical practitioner in the city. The group of around 30 doctors contributed a water purifier, water heater, glass shelf to display products made by inmates, and a microphone with amplifier. Most of them have been long-time needs of the centre. “The picture we had of the centre during our two-week posting was grim. It was a place no one wanted to be at. We wanted to help in some manner,” Dr. Rajesh added.
Dr. N. Rajendran, superintendent of the centre, also a member of the batch, said MBBS students were no longer given psychiatry postings at the mental health centre, as the medical College had its own psychiatry wing. Now, only nursing students from private nursing schools are posted at the facility, he added.
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Director of Health Services R.L. Saritha, who was a 24th batch student of the medical college, too attended the get-together.
The 1984 batch, which constitutes the 28th batch of MBBS and 4th batch of BDS, formed the charity initiative in 2009 under which they have been making contributions to the pain and palliative clinic and the medical college over the last few years .