Urban mental health project inaugurated

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, SEPT. 22. An urban mental health project to cover Chennai and surrounding areas was inaugurated at the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) here today, by Dr. B. Saraceno, director, Division of Mental Health, WHO.

SCARF will work with NGOs that offer primary health care and private nursing homes where members of the public will be screened regularly for mental illness. Those identified as suffering from mental illness will be treated and the rest will be referred to appropriate NGOs. The programme will be an ongoing one, and cover Chennai suburbs and surrounding rural areas.

Dr. Saraceno stressed the need to identify more people suffering from mental illness and provide them with treatment. Dr. J. Bertolote of the WHO later inaugurated the Family Care, Empowerment and Support Project (FACES) of SCARF. A video film on mental illness and health, both in English and Tamil, produced by SCARF will be screened in 10 centres in the city, to create an awareness among the people of mental health issues. This will be followed by an open house in which the participants could raise questions about mental health, Dr. R. Tara, director, SCARF, said.

A film produced by the documentary maker, Ms. Meera Shenoy, on `Women and Schizophrenia', shot at SCARF and The Banyan was screened later. Dr. Mohan Isaac of NIMHANS, Bangalore, said everybody should join the battle against mental illness. Prof. K. A. Kumar, president, Indian Psychiatric Society, said urban mental health was posing a problem as the people became more alienated and distanced, especially from the family. Dr. Shanta Kamath, Joint Director, SCARF, also spoke.

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Section  : Southern States
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