BHUBANESWAR: The state government has deployed 60 senior residents, psychiatric specialists and clinical psychologists in the medical colleges and hospitals (MCHs) and district headquarters hospitals (DHH) that were facing dearth of skilled mental health professionals.
While 30 psychiatric specialists deployed in 10 MCHs and 20 DHHs have been assigned one district each, 30 other clinical psychologists deployed in 29 DHHs and Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar will look after de-addiction centres (DACs) along with assigned districts.
Health department sources said the clinical psychologists will have to screen, counsel, treat and evaluate prison inmates having mental illness apart from their regular duty in their place of posting. They will spend four days in a month in their assigned districts.
The decision for mental health checkup of prisoners was taken following the suicide of Gobinda Sahu, a high profile under trial prisoner and prime accused in Kalahandi lady teacher Mamita Meher murder case. Sahu had ended his life inside a jail in Kantabanji sub-jail in Balangir district before his production in a local court on December 20. A notification issued by the Health department stated the deployment of clinical psychologists is exclusively for screening, treatment and evaluation of prison inmates having mental illness and attending the disability boards.
The senior residents, psychiatric specialists and clinical psychologists also conduct workplace stress management workshops, training of medical officers and paramedics, ASHAs, teachers, PRI members, SHG members apart from their fixed day visit to CHCs, PHCs and health wellness centres in their respective assigned districts.
They will also conduct tele-psychiatry, Tele-Manas services and e-Sanjeevani for improving the accessibility and affordability of mental healthcare services in the community. Health secretary Shalini Pandit said all psychiatric specialists and clinical psychologists will have to provide mental healthcare services for at least half a day every month for examination of jail inmates of all jails in 30 districts.
“Districts have been asked to work out on the visit dates of these professionals to prevent any dislocation and ensure that the clinical psychologists and psychiatric specialists visit their assigned districts on the same day to facilitate counselling of persons with mental illness,” she added.