Chennai, July 14 (UNI) Tamil Nadu home department has sanctioned an amount of Rs 50 lakh for the wellness pro- gramme ‘Magizhi’ which mainly deals with the mental health issues of cops includ- ing personal issues, mental trauma, stress and alcohol- related issues. Greater Chen- nai City Police Commissioner, Shankar Jiwal, is spearheading the project and has roped in top psychiatrists of the city to provide mental support to the policemen. The police com- missioner, in association with M.S.Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation (MSC- TRF) and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosci- ences, has set up a health cen- tre at Guru Nanak College in Velachery exclusively for police personnel
According to the Greater Chennai City Police commis- sioner’s office, 400 cops have already been treated by top psychiatrists in the city. The policemen who were treated include those who have suf- fered from alcohol addiction, depression and other mental health issues. Officers in the city police commissioner’s of fice told IANS that they will be conducting wellness pro- grammes for close to 1,000 policemen.While speaking to IANS, a senior doctor with the MSCTRF said that most of the participants who have undertaken consultation were suffering from work-related stress. The main reason for this work-related stress, according to the psychiatrists attending the cops, is continuous job
without breaks or leave. Psy- chiatrists from the MSCTRF said that the government had announced one day leave a week for each policeman after the suggestions they had given to higher police officers on the need to provide the cops with a break from their routine.
Dr Prabhakar who is involved in the programme told IANS, “After the policemen were giv- en a weekly off, the stress level had come down and there was marked improvement in the mental health situation.”
Police personnel with serious mental illness were referred to the Kilpauk Government Medi- cal College hospital while those with alcohol addiction issues were treated at TTK hospital. The MSCTRF and the health centre at the Guru Nanak Col- lege regularly monitor the health situation of those cops who were discharged from Kilpauk Medical college hospital and TTK hospital. The mental health centre of the Guru Nanak Col- lege also monitors regularly the health condition of those who were discharged. The counsel- lors at the mental health centre regularly speak to the discharged cops and their families to monitor those who have recovered from the addiction. Two coun- selling sessions are conducted every month for those who have recovered from addiction.
