Pune: Maharashtra Mental Health Institute Hosts Suicide Prevention Workshop On World Suicide Prevention Day
Pashan, 10th September 2023: On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day today, the Maharashtra Mental Health Institute in Pashan, Pune, organized a comprehensive suicide prevention workshop that brought together over 220 participants. The topic of the workshop was “Suicide Prevention: Empowering Students and Professionals in Health Care Services”.
The attendees included students and faculty from various colleges across Pune and Maharashtra, specializing in Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, and Nursing, as well as all medical staff under the Department of Medical Education. Distinguished faculty representatives from the institute also joined the event.
Dr. Ajay Chandanwale, the director of the institute, highlighted the gravity of the issue in his opening remarks. He stated that approximately eight lakh people worldwide take their own lives each year, with nearly 1 lakh 65 thousand of those suicides occurring in India. Shockingly, this crisis predominantly affects individuals between the ages of 15 to 35.
Dr. Chandanwale emphasized the critical importance of the workshop’s primary goal: to prevent such suicides through appropriate measures, therapeutic techniques, counseling, and expert mental health care.
The workshop’s first session, led by Dr. Shrikant Pawar, delved into the prevalent misconceptions and truths surrounding suicide prevention in society. Students from the Department of Pyschiatric Social Work at the institute performed a compelling drama that portrayed common misunderstandings about suicide prevention and the therapeutic methods involved.
Following this, Dr. Praful Kapse provided guidance on identifying the behaviors and symptoms exhibited by individuals at risk of suicide, emphasizing the importance of timely therapeutic intervention.
Dr. Shubhangi Parkar, the workshop’s esteemed chief guest, discussed the underlying causes of suicide and underscored the significant responsibility each person holds in preventing suicides. She also shared insightful examples of successful suicide prevention efforts.
The workshop also featured discussions on suicide among inmates in prisons, led by Dr Ivan Netto, and measures to prevent suicide within families, as explained by Dr. Shrikant Pawar. Praful Kapse led a seminar on preventing farmer suicides, during which Marathi actor Sachin Gawli discussed the community’s role in suicide prevention.
The entire student body, staff, officers, and faculty members of the Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health contributed enthusiastically to the successful execution of the Suicide Prevention Workshop.
In closing, Dr. Ajay Chandanwale extended his congratulations to all participants and expressed his hope that the knowledge gained during the workshop would be instrumental in preventing suicides and promoting mental well-being in society.
