From Our Correspondent
Jowai, Oct 10: A drawing competition was organised for the inmates of Halfway Home Sabahmuswang to observe World Mental Health Day under this year’s theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal human right’, on Tuesday.
The event witnessed active participation of the inmates, staff, and visiting doctors of the centre which is run by the Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE).
Despite being mentally ill, the inmates were able to draw and paint fruits and flowers of their choice.
In the evening a small function was held in which prizes and food were distributed to the inmates.
The programme was presided over by Project Coordinator Halfway Home Niwanka Shylla.
Dr. H H Mohrmen Secretary of SURE lauded the service rendered by the staffs of the centre and also and expressed his gratitude to Dr. Anne Paswet Psychiatrist and also Medical Superintendent of Jowai Civil Hospital and Dr Ebormitre Dann who also serve the Halfway Home as a visiting doctor.
Halfway Home is a place for the mentally ill patients who have been treated at the mental institutions and are not supposed to be kept in the mental institutions but in a home like environment where they will be provided counseling, vocational training and also to try locate their place of residence.
In Mawkyrwat, the day was observed with a programme organised by the office of the District Mental Health Programme, South West Khasi Hills in collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority, Sngap Syiem College, Mawkyrwat and Martin Luther Christian University. Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton Lyngdoh was the chief guest attended by other government officials and dignitaries.
The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Mental Health is a Universal human right’ which reminds everyone the important of respecting the rights of people with mental illness which is often neglected by the common people. People living with mental illness are also entitled to basic human right.
