Anantnag, Oct 28: Mental health concerns among children and adolescents, the elderly and people affected by substance abuse dominated discussions at a CME at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag on Wednesday, with experts calling for early diagnosis, timely treatment and better access to psychiatric care.
The Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme was organised by the Department of Psychiatry under the theme “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” in association with the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and the Jammu and Kashmir Psychiatric Society (JKPS).
Principal GMC Anantnag, Prof. (Dr.) Junaid S. Wani, inaugurated the programme and stressed the need to expand mental healthcare through multidisciplinary collaboration. He commended the department’s academic initiatives, capacity-building efforts, community outreach and work towards strengthening psychiatric services.
The programme was held under the supervision of Prof. (Dr.) Mansoor Ahmad Dar, head of the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat delivered the welcome address.
During the inaugural session, Prof. Dar, Chief Medical Officer Anantnag Dr. Khalid Parvez and Dr. Sheikh Javid, coordinator of JKPS, stressed coordinated efforts to strengthen psychiatric care and improve access to quality mental health services.
The scientific sessions covered medication use in bipolar disorders, psychiatric care by non-specialists, mental health concerns among children and adolescents and the elderly, depression, and changing patterns of substance abuse in Kashmir.
Dr. Tajamul Hussain, head of the Department of Psychiatry at GMC Baramulla, spoke on “Polypharmacy in Bipolar Disorders,” while Dr. Majid Shafi, consultant psychiatrist at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, delivered a session on “Psychiatry for Non-Psychiatrists.”
Prof. (Dr.) Junaid Nabi of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Kashmir (IMHANS-K), Srinagar, spoke on “Emerging Mental Health Issues in the Elderly.”
Prof. (Dr.) Zaid A. Wani, also from IMHANS-K Srinagar, discussed “The Growing Burden of Mental Health Issues in Children and Adolescents: The Kashmir Scenario.”
Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Maqbool Dar, head of the Department of Psychiatry at KMC Sempura, delivered a session titled “Depression: What a Primary Care Physician Should Know.”
Dr. Fazl-e-Roub, assistant professor at IMHANS-K Srinagar, spoke on “Changing Trends of Substance Abuse in Kashmir.”
A panel discussion on “Local Action Plan: Priorities of Mental Healthcare at GMC Anantnag” examined priorities for strengthening mental health services at the institution.
The panel included Prof. (Dr.) Fouzia Nazir, head of the Department of Community Medicine; Dr. Showkat Ahmad Shah, cardiologist; and Prof. Mansoor Ahmad Dar. Dr. Rehana Amin, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at GMC Anantnag, moderated the discussion and also served as the organising secretary of the CME.
Faculty members from medical colleges across Jammu and Kashmir, clinicians, healthcare professionals, MBBS students and nursing students attended the programme.
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