TAWANG, 15 Dec: An awareness meeting on Mental Health Care Act, 2017, its provisions and implementation was held for the administrators, law enforcing authorities, medical professionals and NGOs here on Wednesday.
Emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness, Tawang DC Sang Phuntsok, who chaired the meeting, said: “We are concerned for physical health but condition of physical health depends largely on mental health of an individual. We all have right to be happy, but we cannot be happy by harming others. We are all interdependent, and should have kind compassionate heart to be healthy physically and mentally.”
He further said that the educational institutions give importance to physical hygiene, but emotional hygiene is not taken care of.
“We all at our own level should work in this field to develop better emotional hygiene for better society,” the DC said.
State’s Mental Health Authority chief executive officer Dr. Haniya Payee explained the difference between physical, mental and spiritual health. He also highlighted the overall mental health scenario of Arunachal.
Advocate Tashi Dhondup spoke on the provisions of the Act and their implementation. He said any person suffering from mental illness have the right to live in society without any discrimination.
Earlier, Mental Health programme assistant Dr. U.K Baruah said that Tawang district has not yet been enlisted in state mental health programme and that initiatives are being taken to extend the programme in all the other uncovered districts of the state.
He urged the NGOs working in field of mental health to register with state mental health authority so that they can avail their service in providing better service to those in need.
The meeting was organized by Mukhya Mantri Mansik Swasthya Yojana, Arunachal Pradesh. (DIPRO)
