Manipur Health and Family Welfare Minister Sapam Ranjan on Wednesday said psychiatry is one of the primary weapons to fight off the menace of drugs in Manipur. He said preparing the youths mentally and emotionally is the only way to shield them from the impact of drugs.
The minister was speaking at the inaugural function of the two-day National Midterm Continuing Medical Education (CME) of Addiction Psychiatry Society of India (APSI) held at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal on Wednesday.
Ranjan pointed out that ‘addiction’ is a vast topic whose various facets should be studied and discussed. Addiction is an important portal to understanding the human mind, whose research and study is limited, he said.
“Psychiatry is one such tool through which we can attempt to understand the intrigues of the human mind and societies’ various issues at large,” he said.
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Also, pointing out that the prominence of psychiatry as a discipline of medical science increased after the Covid 19 pandemic, Ranjan maintained that psychiatry played a major role in tackling the various emotional distress and mental illnesses caused by the pandemic.
The minister further exuded confidence that the National Midterm CME programme, organised by RIMS Psychiatry Department under the aegis of Addiction Psychiatry Society of India, will exhort the growth of the medical field in Manipur.
Meanwhile, RIMS director professor H Priyosakhi also emphasized the need to safeguard and protect youths of Manipur from the sway of drugs.
The director also pointed out that the alcoholism rate in Manipur is on the rise in recent years. Not only men but the number of women alcoholics are also increasing in Manipur, she added.
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She maintained that the need to study the issue and said Priyosakhi the CME programme will aid in sensitising the masses on such pertinent issues of the state.
APSI secretary general professor Atul Ambekar, RIMS medical superintendent Dr Nepram Sanjib, organising chairperson of the Midterm CME professor RK Lenin and organising secretary Dr S Gojendra along with delegates from outside Manipur and students of RIMS took part in the event.
