*Snehlata Shrivastav ** 5 Jun 2011* * NAGPUR* : He is one physician both psychiatrists and physicians envy. He took up psychiatry, that too in a rural set up, when it was not even a subject in the medical curriculum and has been treating the patients over the years as efficiently as some of the best psychiatrists in the country.
Meet Dr D M Dave from Modasa, a small town near Ahmedabad in Gujarat. He is an MD in medicine but has been practising psychiatry out of sheer interest for over past 40 years in and around Modasa. His knowledge in the subject is at par with any other specialist in the field in the country as he keeps himself updated through conferences and workshops regularly. He visits villages in his well equipped ambulance-cum-treatment vehicle and treats patients of all types of mental illnesses almost free of cost. Dr Dave's salary now is at par with any other doctor in governments sector as per VI pay commission. But there was a time when he had no money to even do his post graduation. He took up a job at the Dr Rasiklal Shah Sarvajanik Hospital way back in 1971 as a physician to fund his MD. Though the hospital he works for is a trust hospital, it just charges Rs 5 as fees. Tests of all types can cost the patients here a maximum of Rs 300. "I am fortunate to have got a job in this hospital when I needed it the most. We have a system of holding camps all around in the region and identify patients with all types of diseases. But we also pick up patients with mental problems. Those needing hospitalization are brought to Modasa. Of the 200 beds, about 50 are occupied by my patients," Dr Dave told TOI. He derives financial and logistic support from the taluka mental health programme supported by the central government. But his patients are no different from those from urban areas. They too are equally stressed. In fact, due to lack of awareness, a majority still go the witch doctors or faith healers who exploit them. "But now even faith healers of our region have started referring patients to me," told Dr Dave. Like in urban slums, villagers too try to imitate their role models in television. They too want to be rich and live a lavish life. But due to poverty they land up in problems, sometimes leading to mental breakdown which is not easy to treat. But Dr Dave has been handling patients of this type as well as with typical problems like schizophrenia with modern treatment and drugs. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-05/nagpur/29623101_1_patients-hospital-faith-healers -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
