Mangaluru: District jail inmates now have access to mental health check-up as well

MANGALURU: Inmates of district jail here now have access to psychiatric counselling to go with medical check-ups conducted for them. The project that principal district and sessions judge Kadloor Sathyanarayanacharya inaugurated on Sunday has been initiated by Indian Red Cross Society, DK district unit in association with Government Wenlock Hospital, department of health and family welfare with expertise from trained psychologists of K S Hegde Medical Academy, Deralakatte.

Sathyanarayancharya averred that it is imperative to look after physical and mental health of under trials as it plays a vital role in preserving the health of the society on their release from the prison. One can also preserve the health of the society by preserving the mental and physical health of individuals and under trials and prisoners too are very much part of the society, who are detained by the law for having fallen afoul of the law due to their volition or circumstances not of their choosing, he said.

Jails off late are no longer centres of punishment but are being seen more as centres for reformation of individuals. “It is human nature to err, as also it is in human nature to change the mistake and lead a normal productive life,” the judge said. Prisoners – under trials included face several kinds of issues while under incarceration and this has a bearing on their mental status, he said, adding efforts by organisations including Indian Red Cross Society and KSHEMA for their wellbeing is laudatory.

Shantharam Shetty, chairman, Indian Red Cross Society, DK district unit said the Society has concern for health of inmates of the district jail and it is the wish of the Society that the under trials join the social mainstream as reformed persons once their period of incarceration is over. The Society will arrange pure drinking water to the jail, he said. District Health and family welfare officer Ramakrishna Rao, members of the Red Cross Society, Chandan J Patel, jail superintendent were present on this occasion.