Educate people on mental health: KU VC to students

Srinagar, July 25: To create awareness about mental health challenges and to promote dialogue on innovative solutions that can contribute to better mental well-being in the community, Kashmir University’s Department of Social Work in collaboration with National Health Mission (NHM) organized a sensitization workshop on ‘Tele-MANAS and Tele-MANAS ChatBot’.
The event highlighted the government’s initiative of Tele-MANAS and Tele-MANAS ChatBot which plays a crucial role in enhancing mental health services and support in the region. It is pertinent to mention that the application/programme was launched by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha a few months back in order to address this grave mental/ social problem in J& K.
Highlighting Kashmir University’s commitment to addressing mental health concerns and supporting such initiatives, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nilofer Khan said the programme is very important as it is not restricted to students only as the outcome will go down the community.
“Students are the ambassadors of change and they should carry this message forward and try to sensitize and educate fellow citizens in understanding the importance of mental health,” she said. She further said everyone cannot reach a doctor and that technology has made it easier to access facilities like Tele-MANAS and Tele-MANAS ChatBot.“We are the first to take up the initiative and such programmes go a long way in addressing health issues, especially the mental health,” she said.
Terming the initiative of Tele-MANAS and Tele-MANAS ChatBot a ‘key project’, Registrar, Kashmir University, Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir highlighted the significance of the workshop and its contribution to the cause of mental health awareness.
He said if there is no mental peace, the repercussions could be very disruptive for the patient as well as for the family. He said, “If not addressed timely, mental illnesses can give birth to other social issues like drug abuse and ultimately crime.”
Noted psychiatrist from IMHANS (Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) Kashmir, Prof. Arshad Hussain delivered a talk on ‘Mental Health Epidemic: Reality or Myth’ providing insights into the prevailing mental health scenario. He said there is no health without mental health and that COVID brought with it a huge mental burden as the number of mental health cases increased due to isolation, unemployment, etc.
“COVID taught us Tele-MANAS could be a convenient interface to access mental healthcare from the comfort of our homes,” he said.
One of the key highlights of the workshop was a comprehensive presentation on Tele-MANAS and Tele-MANAS ChatBot by Dr. Qazi Haroon, Programme Manager for Mental Health and Divisional Nodal Officer at NHM (National Health Mission) Kashmir. He provided the participants with an in-depth understanding of the innovative initiatives and their potential impact on mental health services.
Earlier, Head, Department of Social Work, Kashmir University, Dr Shazia Manzoor while outlining the objectives of the workshop said that we do not talk about mental health because it is stigmatized. “Although a lot of work has been done to sensitize masses about the importance of mental health, we still need to understand the local narrative,” she said.
The event was followed by an interactive session that enhanced the understanding of mental health challenges and the possible solutions offered by the Tele-MANAS initiatives.
The students from various departments who participated in the workshop lauded the efforts of the administration for this wonderful interactive health forum. They also raised a number of questions & queries to the experts. Dr Javid from the Department of Social Work conducted the proceedings and gave a vote of thanks.