THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to bring down suicidal tendencies and depression among children, the state government has launched a psychosocial intervention programme for children and adolescents in the state.
The programme is being launched as part of the initiative ‘Ottakkalla Oppamundu’, which was launched in January following the Covid-19 outbreak. Health Minister K K Shailaja told reporters here on Thursday that children, especially students, go through a lot of stress, anxiety during exams and results.
“As SSLC and other exams results would be out, the programme would be of great help to students falling under vulnerable categories. Hence a state-level study on student suicide would be carried out,” she said.
Such students would be identified with the help of ASHA and anganwadi workers. The counsellors would reach out to such families and directly talk to the students.