Psychological counseling of 47000 migrant workers conducted by Maharashtra Health department

Mumbai, Apr 24, 2020: The health department has provided psychological counseling to nearly 47000 migrant workers currently staying in different shelter homes in the state due to Corona lockdown. Most of them are from the unorganized sector and they are housed in 944 shelter homes in the state. They are provided all the facilities by the administration. In addition to this, the health department is providing them psychological counseling under the district mental health program. So far 47000 migrant workers have been benefitted by this service. Along with this, those who are in institutionalized quarantine are also given counseling.

These workers are held up after the announcement of the corona lockdown in the state. Their lodging and boarding arrangements are done in various districts. They are under stress and facing mental problems as they have to live away from their homes, face financial hardships, and latent fear of the disease, which called for the necessity to provide them psychological counseling. They are given counseling under the district mental health program.

These workers are being in simple language about the coronavirus, the care they should take and dos and don’ts. The counselors, mental experts, and nurses are playing an important and major role in this counseling and the positive effect of this counseling is visible among these workers, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

During the counseling those workers who are found suffering from medium to serious mental disorders are admitted for proper treatment. At present some 8000 workers are under institutionalized quarantine and their counseling is done by visiting them and understanding their difficulties.

This counseling is done through the help of 30 counselors, 28 mental experts, and 36 nurses with two to three teams working in each district. Under the district mental health program, these teams conduct counseling in areas infected with farmers’ suicides. Last year, they did their work in flood-affected areas of Kolhapur and Sangli for the flood-hit people.