Importance of being mindful in troubled times
Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists holds 19th Annual Academic Sessions
President Dr. Gihan Abeywardena highlights achievements of the college amidst numerous challenges Chief Guest BASL President Saliya Peiris stresses need to reform laws relating to mental diseases
The focus was on the mind when the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists brainstormed this week about the mental health issues faced by people in these troubled times.
The highlight of the two-day 19th Annual Academic Sessions aptly titled ‘Healing the troubled during troubled times’ in Negombo was the inauguration held on Sunday morning (August 7). Both the inauguration and sessions were held as a hybrid conference – physical and virtual – with more than 200 participants, locally and internationally.
Detailing the “significant” achievements of the college in the last two years amidst numerous uncertainties and obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis and fuel shortage, the college’s President Dr. Gihan Abeywardena said that it was like sailing in turbulent waters and being hit by two major thunderstorms.
He hoped the deliberations would enable the participants “to broaden your perspective of mind and body” and be “mindful” of the numerous hardships that Sri Lankans are going through these days leading to mental health consequences.
The hotline (0712578578) set up for healthcare workers to safeguard their mental well-being during the pandemic has been extended to the public for them to reach psychiatrists for guidance during stressful situations in this economic crisis, he pointed out.
Referring to the major shortage of medicines ailing the health sector, Dr. Abeywardena said that the college acted fast in the face of an acute shortage of essential psychotropics (drugs that affect behaviour, mood, thoughts or perception) due to the forex crisis. It reached out to donors and well-wishers locally and internationally and convinced the SLPA- UK ( Sri Lankan Psychiatrists’ Association of the United Kingdom), the SLMDA-UK (Sri Lankan Medical and Dental Associations of the UK) and the Sri Lankan psychiatrists living in Australia and New Zealand of the dire need for four psychotropic medications that have gone out of stock in the country.
Appreciating those who came to the rescue including the Royal College of Psychiatrists UK and RANZCP (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists), he said that the college managed to procure the monthly needs for Sri Lanka of the most efficacious antipsychotic and also some other medications. The college has begun the careful distribution of these medications to the peripheral hospitals, according to their need. The college has also collected over Rs. 4 million and around US$ 4,000 so far, to procure essential psychotropics.
Chief guest and President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka ( BASL), Saliya Peiris, President’s Counsel, stressed the need to look at mental health issues among children.
“Many parents are unaware of the existence of mental health issues among children and I doubt very much that most of our schools and teachers have the capacity, sufficient knowledge
and understanding on dealing with children who have mental health issues – on counselling – and especially the need to observe confidentiality and to be non-judgmental,” he said.
He urged that Sri Lanka needs an attitudinal change in the approach to mental health. Even now mental health is one of the least talked of issues in the community as mental illnesses continue to cause a stigma in society.
Highlighting the need to reform the laws relating to mental diseases, which is “way overdue”, Mr. Peiris said that Sri Lanka’s mental health regime is governed by the Mental Diseases Ordinance No. 1 of 1873, which was last amended more than half a century ago
in 1956. The legal profession may be able to collaborate with the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists to help initiate reforms to the present law.
Referring to recent development, he said: “I wish to take this opportunity to also speak to you a few words about the role of the BASL in these troubled times in our country. Historically, the Bar has played a role in looking after the interests of the most vulnerable in society. Among its key objectives is to work towards the preservation of the Rule of Law, the Independence of the Judiciary and Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of the People.
“It is with those objectives in mind that the BASL made key interventions
over the last 18 months when it felt the Rule of Law and the Fundamental Rights of the People were in jeopardy. The issues we have taken up over this period included custodial deaths, wrongful use of Presidential pardons, misconduct of ministers in prisons, the economic crisis, social media bans, Emergency Regulations and Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of Freedom of Speech and Expression and Peaceful Assembly.
“In all these issues we have striven to be objective and dispassionate and we have not been afraid. Whilst we have stood for the right of people to dissent and disagree, we have also been mindful to ward off the dangers in deviating from the Constitution and of the need to adhere to Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law. Which is why on July 12 and 13, the BASL called for the public buildings to be handed back to the authorities.
“I am personally aware that not everyone was happy over our request but it was our sincere view that there was a need to prevent anarchy and lawlessness. At the same time, we saw the events of July 22 as being repugnant to the Rule of Law and the Fundamental Rights of the People and a disproportionate response.”
The Guest- of- Honour Dr. Ranil Abeyasinghe, who is a senior Consultant Psychiatrist, in an off-thecuff speech, decried the use of non-science by doctors when dealing with scientific issues.
Citing the so-called paniya touted as a cure for COVID-19, he said that when dealing with patients, doctors should leave aside their personal superstitions, religious beliefs and biases and act as professionals.
The annual sessions included symposia on Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) – the forgotten and hidden entity; Forensic Psychiatry – mental health and legal aspects; Addictions Psychiatry – the latest subspecialty to be introduced to Sri Lanka; and Mood Disorders among Children. The plenaries included clinically important and less talked about topics such as eating disorders and hearing of voices.
The much- attended debates were ‘ Whether cannabis use should be legalized in Sri Lanka’ between two groups of medical students and ‘ Whether the Grade 5 Scholarship examination should be abolished’ between psychiatrists.