Bhubaneswar: The State Prisons Directorate plans to regulate the telephone session for prison prisoners because many of them have developed mental illness due to uncertainty over the trial of the court on their case and temporary prohibition at physical meetings (megat) with family members during the Covid19 pandemic.
This step occurred after the Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued an advisor to declare and emphasize to take steps to deal with mental diseases of detention during a pandemic.
The Psychiatric Department of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (Nimhans) in Bangalore was involved by the center to prepare for the advisor.
“We have sent advisors to prison supervisors and ask them to coordinate with the main district medical officers to overcome the problem of stress and anxiety of prisoners,” said Director General (Prison and Correctional Services) said Santosh Upadhyay.
It should be noted that the daily starting system was stopped while the second wave of Covid hit the house, many things disappointed the detainees.
Although replaced with E-Mulaqat, this facility is not available in all prisons due to lack of infrastructure problems and connectivity.
“Court experiments have been affected by Covid.
Even though some underage prisoners are released as part of their decenthesis exercises, many others are arrested for small violations, have not been able to get a guarantee.
This has pushed them into depression,” said another prison official.
, According to advisors, video consultations must be used for screening, diagnosis, management, and follow-up from new and old cases in prison.
It is possible to include short interventions such as counseling and psychotherapy sessions through this virtual mode.
Efforts must be made to connect detainees with their family members regularly through video conferencing, according to the advisor.
Some of the travel involvement for patients in isolation facilities can be arranged.
These may be some simple tasks or games, yoga and group activities follow the principles of physical distance.
Psychological support can be provided through telecasting mode by psychiatrists or clinical psychologists in accordance with availability and feasibility, the adviser said.
Prison was also asked to conduct a awareness program about mental health, mental illness, suicide prevention, and regular use of substance disorders.