A three-day training program for traditional and faith-based service providers on mental disorder awareness concluded on Saturday, from 8:30am to 3pm at BRAC Centre Inn, Mohakhali, Dhaka. A total of 17 participants participated in the training.
The objective of the training was to create awareness among traditional and faith-based service providers of our country about serious mental illness, increase knowledge and skills, change their attitude and behaviour, and identify people with serious mental illness and refer them to our National Mental Hospital for biomedical care, read a press release.
Telepsychiatry Research Innovation Network (TRIN) Limited is conducting research in Korail slum in Dhaka under the project 'Transforming Access to Care for Serious Mental Disorders in Slums'—The TRANSFORM Bangladesh. In continuation of this, a three-day training program was organised for traditional and faith-based service providers of Korail slum.
A large section of country’s population is suffering from Serious Mental Disorders (SMD) and most of them are deprived of biomedical care due to lack of adequate awareness, ignorance, and superstition.
Instead of science-based treatment, many patients are taking different types of traditional and faith-based treatments but SMD patients are not getting any benefit.
Proper training of these traditional and faith-based service providers like Imams, Muezzins, Madrasa teachers, Kaviraj, Ojha, Tantrik, etc is essential to ensure mental health for all.
The closing ceremony of the training program was attended by Prof Dr Nahid Mahjabin Morshed, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Prof Dr Avro Dash Bhowmik, Director of National Institute of Mental Health, Dr Tanjir Rashid Soron, Principal investigator of the TRANSFORM- Bangladesh, Dr Taibur Rahman, Psychiatrist of National Institute of Mental Health, and Dr Rahanul Islam, Psychiatrist of Central Drug Addiction Treatment Centre.
The guests of honour delivered their valuable speeches and handed over certificates and crests to the participants at the closing ceremony. The participants also expressed their feedback on this three-day training and thanked the organisers for organising this training program.
Participants participate spontaneously through open discussion, question-and-answer, role-playing, and storytelling.
