Programme for Improving Mental health and care’ (PRIME) technical director Doctor Sanjay Shrivastava said that under ‘Scaling up Opportunity for creating Healthy and active Mind’ (SOHAM) they have put in many efforts to improve the mental health care facility in Madhya Pradesh. SOHAM was formed on April 23, 2015, he added.
Dr Shrivastava said that PRIME has offered technical assistance to MP health department and in past three years formed psychiatric clinics in Sehore district through research. With the construction of psychiatric clinics in three areas namely Bilkishganj, Shyampur and Doraha 1815 patients have received treatment. Till now psychiatric clinics have been constructed in 20 districts of the state where trained doctors and nurses are available, he added.
He said that from each district hospital one doctor and two staff nurses have received training in treating mental diseases from Indore Mental Hospital and Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre with the technical help of PRIME. In the past three months after the establishment of clinics, 3734 patients have received treatment, he added.
Shrivastava said that one must try and mange the increasing stress and tension and fight against the superstition in the society. For this all the voluntary organizations, government and private organization and religious organizations must come together. Also forming government policies and working towards the human rights will be of immense help in the treatment of mental diseases.
The principal investigator of PRIME Dr Rahul Shidhye said that SOHAM is a unique trial and it is being regulated in all the districts of the state by the state government.