Riot-hit Kandhamal is crying for psychosocial care. 

And the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, has come up with the healing touch. 

Leading the team K Sekar, Professor Psycho-Social Work, NIMHANS carried out day-long consultation on 11 November with the Officials working in the field. 

With vast experience gained from Orissa Super Cyclone, Gujarat Earth Quake, Andaman-Nicober Tsunami and violence-torn Jammu & Kashmir, NIMHANS has come a long way in providing psychosocial support to the victims of both natural and man-made disasters. 

Madhu sudan Padhi, Special Administrator on Kandhamal Affairs speaking on the occasion harped on the long term psychosocial care for the people of the violence-torn district and stress management for the field functionaries. 

Krishan Kumar, Collector Kandhamal, who has roped in the services of the NIMHANS Team, also spoke on the occasion. 

More than 40 officers attended the consultation and made aware about the modus-operandi to provide psychosocial care and how to beat stress during the duty. 

Professor Sekar said psychosocial care is needed most in this man-made disaster zone. 

He said that barefoot counselors are to be engaged to carry out operations in the villages. 

"Every one affected by the disaster face the stress beyond the capacity to tolerate, said he. 

So to take care of their stress and trauma timely action is needed", advised Professor Sekar. 

Similarly for the officers, who were forced to land in the disaster zone to take up relief and rehabilitation work face serious stressful conditions. 

Far from the family members for months together and without any time limit of work assignment leave them totally stressed and fatigue, resulting incapacitation. 

"That is why they are also to be provided method and instrument of stress management like fitness, sleep and diet hygiene", said Professor Sekar. 

Aravind Raj of NIMHANS, another team member has joined the good Samaritan move of the institution in taking care of the Kandhamal cauldron.

 

Ashok Paikaray