The Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), an autonomous institution established by the State government in 1983, achieved a major milestone with the opening of an independent multi-storeyed building for its operations on the Kozhikode Medical College campus on Thursday. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated the building.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Chandy said the State government would consider allotting grants for the future operations of the institute. Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar presided over the function. Minister for Panchayats and Social Justice M.K. Muneer, M.K. Raghavan, MP, district panchayat president K. Jameela, District Collector C.A. Latha, IMHANS director P. Krishnakumar and MLAs were present.
For the completion of the new building, the State government had allotted Rs.30 crore. The foundation stone was laid in 2012.
ADVERTISEMENT
People’s representatives and doctors who addressed the function said the new building would be a great relief for IMHANS as it had been struggling to conduct intervention programmes in child psychiatry and community-level mental rehabilitation with limited facilities.
IMHANS would seek the immediate recruitment of additional staff. As per a recent proposal submitted to the government, the institute would need over 150 staff for its proper functioning. It would include doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and skilled technicians.