Mandaviya suggests incorporating the role of Indian traditions in mental health in medical syllabus

NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday mooted the idea of incorporating the role of Indian traditions in keeping good mental health, in the medical syllabus and urged the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS) to study the issue deeply to enable the government take a decision and formulate a policy.

"We need to understand the traditional way of curing mental problems. I am thinking whether we can incorporate in our syllabus the role of our traditions in keeping good mental health," he said at an event organised by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS) on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day. Mandaviya said the experts should study the traditional family structure, which, he claimed, automatically cured the mental problems.

Highlighted the need for well informed social discourse on mental health while addressing a programme to mark #WorldMentalHealthDay at NIMHANS.

Mental health issues are preventable & treatable. Reach out to those in need to help them heal. Let's care for & support each other! pic.twitter.com/OqOvDkQOyH

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) October 10, 2021

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"All our festivals were part of mental treatment. Our gatherings on religious and social events, our prayers in the morning and evening and our Aarati are all associated with our mental health. These traditions used to treat mental problems," the Minister told the gathering. Stating that the role of an education institute is very significant, he said NIMHANS should study the issue deeply and find a solution so that the government can take a decision and formulate a policy.

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Mandaviya also said the NIMHANS should give task to its students on doing research and not just limiting them to study books and pass in the exam. He lamented that the country could not get what it should have from the existing education system. "The country has lots of expectations from the institutes, its faculty and researchers because these alone can be the basis for the development of the country and its future. Modi Ji has emphasised upon research. We want that your work should be nation centric," Mandaviya said. Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar and the National Health Minister director Vikas Sheel too addressed the gathering.