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Mental
Health Scenario
About 1% of the population is affected by schizophrenia,
a mental illness and 4 - 5% with other mental illnesses.
Of this only about 40% seem to have access to medical care.
Which means, the vast afflicted majority suffers owing to
just lack of medical facilities, ignorance, superstition
or fear of stigma. Besides, in India there is an awesome
dearth of mental health professionals. For example, New
York city has more psychiatrists than the whole of India.
As for infrastructural facilities for mental health care
in our country, much more needs to be done as yet, on priority.
Humble
Beginnings
It was under such indifferent circumstances, Ekalavya Self-Help
Support Group (SHSG) was founded in 1998 by a few individuals
with compassion for the mentally afflicted and their caregivers.
Keeping in mind the same objective a registered public trust,
named Schizophrenia Awareness Association (SAA) was also
established in 1998. SAA and Ekalavya then came together
for mutual benefit and moral support. Purely voluntary donations
had limiting factor on the activities the Association could
then take up.
Getting
Organized
For being more effective at this crucial juncture, SAA adopted
three main objectives (a) create awareness about schizophrenia
and other mental disorders among the community (b) promote
SHSG activities for patients (better known as shubharthis
within the SAA family) and their caregivers and (c) network
with other NGOs, wedded to the cause of mental health care
and management to unitedly create an impact on concerned
authorities about the rights and privileges of patients
and their families.
Managing
To Motivate
SAA's affairs are overseen by an elected Executive Committee,
consisting of seven office bearers, i.e. founder President,
two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer
and Joint Treasurer. SAA is also fortunate to have on its
Consultative Committee, practising professionals of repute
of Pune. Besides, our services and activities are manned
by a team of dedicated and experienced professionals and
volunteers. The growing response and participation by members
and others is very encouraging and conducive to further
expansion.
SAA's
mouthpiece, Ekalavya, quarterly news- letter in Marathi
and English, also has an Editorial Board. In a years time
of publishing this we have already been receiving encouraging
feedback from the readers. One of our articles has been
reprinted in the monthly, HRD TIMES, Chennai. Our editorial
on Erawadi tragedy has also been excerpted in Recovery Inc.’s
international newsletter.
The
Turning Point
Beginning of 2003 was indeed a major turning point. Canada-based,
Maharashtra Seva Samiti Organisation (MSSO) and the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA) committed to SAA
financial aid, spread over three years, for expansion of
it’s services in mental health care. K.S.Wani Memorial
Trust, Dhule, is the senior partner in this noble cause.
SAA is grateful to it’s founder President Dr. Jagannath
Wani, for his initiative in this matter.
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