Professional development for East's govt mental health staff

The Sri Lankan College of Psychiatrists in collaboration with The Asia Foundation and Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO - Sri Lanka) for the first time conducted a continuing professional development programme for 19 Medical Officers of Mental Health (MOMHs) and diplomates working in the Eastern province.

It was conducted in the Eastern province with support from regional and Colombo based consultant psychiatrists to provide a decentralised approach for the programme.

The programme content was designed based on feedback from a survey carried out to better understand the training needs of MOMHs and diplomates working in the districts.

It included sessions on community psychiatry, best practices when working on gender based violence issues, old age psychiatry and working with substance abuse.

The programme was chaired by the College of Psychiatrists' president Dr Usha Gunawardhana. Regional Director of Health Services, Batticaloa Dr S Sathurmugam and Medical Superintendent of the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital Dr N Muruganathan also participated.

Nineteen MOMHs and diplomates from Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts participated in the programme.

A resource pack containing resource material and important strategies for working in the Eastern province will be put together for reference of all mental health cadres and will be made available in libraries.

The CPD programme in Batticaloa was funded through the US Agency for International Development.