Mental health care plagued by superstitions and lack of education: PM Modi at NIMHANS

Zee Media Bureau/Ritu Singh

Bengaluru : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed the convocation ceremony of National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru. He greeted the audience at NIMHANS with Yellarigu Namaskara (Salutations to everybody).

While addressing the students here, Modi said he believed that students from poor families should attend the convocation ceremonies as they are very motivating.

He added that the decision students took to study at NIMHANS was not a decision taken by mind but by heart. He said their task was tough, but he was confident that their education and their spirit of service would help them accomplish what they had set out to do.

Reiterating the fact that India still is a land of superstitions, he said that in cases of mental health, people still go for tantra-mantra instead of relying on modern technology. Mental healthcare in India is plagued by the problems of lack of knowledge, awareness and superstition, said the prime minister. 

Skill, education and empathy are essential qualities doctors must possess for treating patients with mental ailments, he said.

He encouraged the students saying that they can give back a lot to society and work towards eradication of superstition regarding mental illness and make a difference.

Union Ministers Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and J.P. Nadda, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister Siddaramiah were also present on the occasion.