Panel set up to prevent suicides

Tirupati: Chittoor district administration has set up a committee to identify the lapses and to come up with a concrete action plan to address the issue of student suicides.

The District Collector PS Pradyumna has constituted a committee with SVIMS Director Dr TS Ravikumar as its Coordinator which consists of the Principals of SVMC and SPMCW and Superintendents of Ruia and SPMC Hospital to take various steps to prevent suicides.

It was also decided, to establish ‘Wellness centre’ in SVMC aimed at developing an atmosphere in which any student with any mental imbalance and disturbing thoughts can approach and take remedial steps.

The experts at the centre will try to know the real problems and try to find out solutions to create confidence among the students.  Speaking to The Hans India, the Head of the Department and Professor of Psychiatry in SVMC Dr N Nageswara Rao has said that “Suicides are very unfortunate.

It is case of medical emergency and that situation should not arise at all which needs to be addressed from all angles”. Though there is a state level helpline at 104, since the problem may arise from any corner of the country national helpline will be of immense use, he felt.