Justice Joshi Inaugurates World Mental Health Day
Mangaluru: The health and family welfare department in association with Karnataka State Mental Health Authority, District Legal Services Authority, District administration, District Bar Association, Information and public relations department, District Wenlock hospital and KMC Medical Institute, jointly observed World Mental Health day – 2016 at RAPCC Conference Hall, Wenlock Hospital here on October 7.
The programme began with an invocation. Convener of the programme Dr Ratnakar welcomed the gathering. Dr Sunil Kumar briefed on the significance of the day.
One minute silence was observed for the departed soul of Dr Ashok Pai who was an inspiration to many budding Psychiatrists. Dr Ravish Thunga speaking on the occasion said, “Dr Ashok Pai is my inspiration. His death is a shocking news for me. Dr Ashok Pai was very dear to me, and was a reason for me to develop an interest in the psychiatric field. Once, When I was young, I went to Shivamogga to meet my sister and brother-in-law, I met Dr Pai who had a psychiatric clinic there. Dr Pai was like mercury, he was treating the people with enthusiasm and zeal. By seeing him, I have decided to be a Psychiatrists. In the state as well as in the country, he has contributed a lot to the community as a Psychiatrist. Dr Ashok Pai used to say that he had the capacity to take people together, such a rare quality Dr Pai had. It is very difficult to imagine that Dr Ashok Pai is no more”.
He also said, “Shivamogga is the second Mecca because, after the government sector, Manasa psychiatric hospital in Shivamogga is serving the patients in a much better way. He had some message to give to the society. When he was alive he even neglected his health and served the society. If he would have taken care of his health much more people would have benefited. Let his life be an inspiration for all of us”.
The programme was inaugurated by the Dakshina Kannada second additional and Sessions judge. Justice C M Joshi by lighting the traditional lamp.
Addressing the gathering, Justice Joshi said, “What is mental health? How were we treating people ? 25 to 50 years ago, the definition of Mental health was different. Now the definition has changed because of the contribution of the doctors who serve in the psychiatric field. We need to think of “First aid for mental health”. When we get cold or a cough we go to the doctor and take medicine. Likewise when we get mental illness we have to go to the doctor and treat it at the initial stage. How a cough or cold is treatable, likewise mental illness also is treatable and when we think of this we will start bringing awareness to the people “.
Justice Joshi said, “in 1846 in Dharwad, the first mental asylum was started and later in 1848 the NIMHANS was started which is now popular worldwide. In the rural areas, there has always been a stigma attached to mental illness. Some families come to the court and when we tell them to go for counselling they ask us “Are we mad to go for counselling, this is because the conditioning that has happened and the mindset. Until we do not change our mindset it is not possible to come out from the stigma. In the courts, we receive many family cases of misunderstanding between husband and wife. Today 75 % of such cases are of misunderstanding, mental imbalance and unable to adjust, we trouble others spoiling our own peace and die”.
He also urged the gathering to bring awareness in the society about mental illness and help the mental ill to get timely treatment so that they can lead a normal life.
ACP Uday Nayak, DHO Dr Ramakrishna Rao, DMO Dr Rajeshwari, Senior Civil Judge Mallana Gowda, President Bar Council SP Chengappa, Dr Ravish Thunga and others were also present on the dais.
