Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 214/14

DAY CARE CENTRE AT SAN KER INAUGURATED

Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma today inaugurated the Day Care Centre at San Ker, Mawroh, Shillong in the presence of Home Minister, Mrs Roshan Warjri, Chairperson of Meghalaya Employment Regeneration Council, Mrs D D Shira, Mr E Syiemlieh, MLA of Mawlai and Dr S Syiem, Managing Trustee of The San-Ker Charitable Trust among other dignatories.

It is worth mentioning that San-Ker was started in 1990 and caters to the mental health needs of individuals including those with chemical dependency disorders. San-Ker at present has a ward for 68 male patients and a female ward for 28 female patients. Some of the services offered by San-Ker are weekly Child Guidance Clinic to children with mental health problems, Support Group meetings to all recovering addicts, Career Guidance and Counseling, Training and experiential support for students of Nursing, Crisis intervention through a 24 hour helpline, Support groups for families of the mentally ill and Care of abandoned mentally ill women and children.

The Day Care Centre was constructed at a cost of Rs 28 Lakhs, it has been operational since 10 years ago but not in a dedicated building, it focuses on teaching self help skills besides vocational training for individuals who are mentally ill or intellectually impaired, who require constant supervision. Day Care services also expose individuals to a working environment and allow them to gradually adapt and equip themselves to meet the demands of life. Activities are structured according to the needs of the individual and are given the opportunity to learn at a pace they are comfortable with so as to enable their transition towards functionality easier. The Centre provides vocational training such as candle making, paper bag making, bag making, tailoring, painting, crochet knitting, knitting and handicraft.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mukul appreciated San-Ker as an institution for its efforts to contribute to the society by dedicating itself to serving the people with mental health disorders. He said that there are many people who are inflicted by mental health disorders but due to lack of knowledge about the facilities available to cure the illness, many lives have been lost and it also sometimes affect the family members of the mental patient and drive them into mental agony and depression which is heartbreaking. Dr Mukul therefore stressed on creating awareness about mental health care and the facilities available to cure the illness. He said that it would be more effective to also reach out to other places beyond Shillong and following up and monitoring of patients who have been discharged from the health care institution. He assured that all infrastructure requirement of San-Ker will be provided by the Government whereas the services have to be provided by San-Ker under the leadership of Dr S Syiem.

Dr Mukul said that as Health Care is one of the top most priorities of the State Government, all non-Government Hospitals will be provided support as they are partners in ensuring that each and every individual is not denied or deprived of the health care facilities. “Mental Health Care should also be covered under the Megha Health Insurance Scheme” he added. “I am really moved by the care and love showed by the dedicated staff of this amazing centre, their patience and their selflessness is remarkable, commitment comes out of deep rooted sense of love and compassion that comes from the heart”, said the Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma while stating the people should learn love and compassion from them.

While Dr Mukul Sangma was shown around the Day Care Centre, he appreciated the arts and crafts made by the patients like greeting cards, gift items and other which are very impressive and he immediately announced that in future all his greeting cards will be bought from San-Ker Day Care Centre.

On being informed that some of the patients use to work in a bakery, Dr Mukul suggested that San-Ker could also have a bakery of its own where the skilled patients could train other patients and start producing their own bakery items which he also assured of full support of the Government. It may also be mentioned that everyone in the audience were moved by a skit presented by the patients on environmental issues and also their dance which was action-packed.