Mental health care program

NADIRA GUNATILLEKE

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry will launch a large scale mental healthcare program covering people who were rescued and those who escaped LTTE clutches, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.

Minister De Silva said the program will be launched under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a special discussion was scheduled in this regard.

"Mental healthcare is one of the most important requirements for the rescued and escaped people because they have been suffering from enormous mental strain, the Minister said.

According to Minister De Silva all the people who had been kept as hostages by the LTTE are suffering from severe mental agony after witnessing how the LTTE brutally murdered their own family members, especially children, women and elders.

They have been undergoing too much violence, shooting and torture. They have seen their children dying and lived without basic requirements.

"The other fact is a majority of those people do not have any idea about the outside world or society because they had been isolated from the rest of the world by the LTTE. The LTTE had also filled them with inaccurate and fearful ideas.

They were brainwashed. The Ministry will train the required health staff to carry out this program.

The Ministry has been conducting counselling and mental healthcare programs in all welfare camps through nurses, the Minister added.