Dedication Par Excellence! FMCI Receives ‘Spandana Award’ from Indian Psychiatric Society
- Dedication Par Excellence! Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI) Receives ‘Spandana Award’ from Indian Psychiatric Society -Karnataka Chapter, for its contribution in the field of De-Addiction for the year 2019-2020. This award was supposed to be presented during the 29th Karnataka Annual Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society (KANCIPS) Awards Ceremony, but this year it was not held due to the pandemic, instead the Award was presented to the Director of FMCI during a Award Ceremony held at FMCI Conference Hall on Friday, 9 October 2020 at 11 am.
Mangaluru: De-Addiction Center of Father Muller Medical College Hospital(FMMCH) operating under the name “Vailankanni Ward” has been treating drug and alcohol addicts for over 20 years. Their multidisciplinary approach aims to provide help with the “treatable disease” of addiction. On average, 700 patients a year take part in Father Muller’s excellent month long treatment program which includes a variety of treatment methods. Father Muller’s follow up program is of special importance. This centre realizes the importance of regular follow up and has regular sessions with patients in the outpatient clinic of the hospital and in the de-addiction centre itself, in order to help patients maintain the success they have had.
In May of 2011, Father Muller’s added a new female facility to address the growing problem of women and drug addiction.This 10 bedded ward cares for women explicitly, providing a much needed service. In society it has become accepted that men will drink and become addicted to drugs but women who become addicts are often stigmatized and disrespected when it comes to alcohol and drug addiction. This facility gives women an equal opportunity for de-addiction.
Father Muller’s treatment program is a month long residential treatment program which includes detoxification, psychological therapy, group therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, lectures, yoga, meditation, recreational activities, family counselling and follow up services. The Indian Psychiatric Society-Karnataka Chapter, today at its 29th Annual Conference, conferred on Father Muller Charitable Institutions of Mangaluru, the SPANDANA AWARD, for the year 2019-2020.
Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI) has seen 14 decades of steadfast service towards the health and well-being of humanity. Established in the year 1880, by Fr Augustus Muller, which once began under a humble banyan tree as a Homeopathy dispensary in Mangaluru, has now become an institution of acclaim and one among the few institutions to be nationally accredited by national bodies. Today, FMCI runs 13 institutions related to health and health education with over 2500 employees. Psychiatry in FMCI came into existence in 1966 and what started with a modest outpatient and 25 bedded inpatient facility has now grown into a full- fledged department with 140 beds and 60 beds dedicated to de-addiction facility.
The De-Addiction Center of Father Muller Medical College Hospital(FMMCH), since its inception in 1992, has been providing quality treatment for person’s dependent on various substances. Manned by an expert team of de-addiction treatment specialists, the center functions round the clock with an average of 700 patients per year availing its services. The center operates under the name of Vailankanni Ward with FMMCH management at Kankanady, Mangaluru, in a separate building with modern medical facilities. The facility has separate male and female inpatient unit provisions to cater to individual treatment needs of both genders.
The facility offers a one-month residential treatment program, which is effective and flexible, and offers hospitalization, detoxification, daily interviews by psychiatrists, psychological therapies, group therapies, family counselling, recreational activities, Yoga therapy, AA meetings, and follow up services. The center also provides de-addiction training for graduate and postgraduate students in the various disciplines such as Psychiatry, Psychiatric Nursing, Clinical Psychology, and Psychiatric Social Work from various institutions in and around Mangaluru. The center also does community outreach programs, focusing on early case finding and management, referrals, and raising public awareness against substance abuse and dependence through public programs and media campaigns. All this has helped thousands of patients over the years to live a life of sobriety and hence experience more fuller and meaningful lives. It is this service towards humanity that deserves our respect and heartfelt appreciation.
In recognition of the relentless services rendered towards alcohol related problems, Indian Psychiatric Society- Karnataka Chapter, honored Father Muller Charitable Institutions with the prestigious ‘Spandana Award’ on Friday, 9 October 2020 at FMCI Conference Hall. After receiving the award, comprising of a citation, memento, shawl and cash of Rs 10K, addressing the audience Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, Director of the Father Muller Charitable Institutions reminisced that during his tenure as the then assistant director along with the Director Most Rev. Fr Bernard Moras along with Dr KS Shetty and Dr Satheesh Rao and help from Link Integrated Rehabilitation Centre For Addicts and Prajna Counselling the Vailankanni Ward was setup with much thought after the miracle healing of body and mind at the Holy Shrine at Vailankanni
“This was the first step in de-addiction the hospital took and the rewards were bountiful with people from all strata of life being cured of their addiction and joining the mainstream of life to begin anew. I wholeheartedly thank the efforts of the faculty, staff and students of the department of Psychiatry in helping people in their times of darkness and bringing them to the light of life” added Fr Coelho.
Dr Sateesh Rao the chief guest read out the citation, and He spoke of the due recognition of the award the Father Muller Charitable Institutions and of the hard work and efforts of the management placed from 1966 under Dr KC Shetty and with him during his stint of 18 years in Father Muller Medical College in 1991 to start up the deaddiction center. “Even though I am with KSHEMA as a professor there, my heart still beats for Father Muller’s. My friendship with the current HOD and faculty is most precious to me making me feel always comfortable and at home. The love, care and courteous nature of the Director and Management of FMCI to me, I will always cherish forever” added Dr Rao.
The welcome address and introduction of the guests was done by Professor Dr Aruna Yadiyal-professor, Dept of Psychiatry at Father Muller Medical College, and the Vote of thanks was done by Professor and Head of Psychiatry Dept, FMMC- Dr Shafeeeq AT, who made it a point to thank the efforts of the yester and present heads and staff for their efforts in bringing this centre to a centre of excellence. He thanked Dr. B.R. Madhukar President IPS-KC and Dr Sunil Kumar Patil Hon Secretary IPS-KC for their faith reposed through this award in the institution.
Administrator’s Fr Rudolph Ravi D’Sa, Fr Ajith B Menezes; Asst. Administrator Fr Nelson Pais; Dean FMMC Dr Jayprakash Alva; Dean FMCOAHS Dr Antony D’Souza; Vice Dean FMMC Dr Ramesh Bhat; Medical Superintendent Dr Udayakumar; CNO Sr Janet D’Souza; Liaison Officer Dr Kelvin Peter Pais along with the departmental faculty and staff graced the Award Ceremony. The programme was meticulously and professionally compered by Dr Priyanka D’souza- PG, Dept of Psychiatry, FMMC.
