Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 18: Department of Psychiatry, District Hospital Pulwama (DHP), Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) has restarted Modified Electroconvulsive Therapy (mECT) after a gap of a few months.
DHSK said that DHP is the second hospital after Government Medical College Srinagar, in the UT of J&K to offer mECT services since 2018.
“mECT was discontinued at the hospital owing to some technical glitches, which have now been rectified. DHP is the only Government district hospital throughout the country to offer mECT services on a regular basis. Medical Superintendent DHP, Dr. B.S.Tulla who took lead in restarting this service assured that mECT will be offered on a regular basis on Tuesdays and Fridays without any interruption,” DHSK said.
In this regard, Dr. Majid Shafi, Consultant Psychiatrist at DHP, who has been administering mECT since 2018 said: “Modified ECT is a highly effective therapy for many treatment-refractory mental health conditions including depressive disorders. Offering such therapies to patients in general hospital settings and general surgical theatre helps in de-stigmatizing mental health disorders and their treatment”.
So far, more than 300 sessions were administered at the hospital and 25 patients benefited from the same, some belonging to far-flung areas including one patient from UT of Ladakh.
It is to be noted here that this service is offered under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) at this hospital and bears a cost of up to ¹ 3000 per session therefore patients have to bear no out-of-pocket expenses for receiving the treatment.
DHP, in addition to offering mECT also provides Trans-Cranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS), Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES), Long Acting Antipsychotic (LAI) Clinic, and Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression services.
“DHP is the only hospital in the UT of J&K to offer TDCS services on a regular basis for depressive disorder patients. Ketamine Infusion Therapies is also offered by DHP in addition at GMC Srinagar.”
Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Rather commended the mental health team of DHP for providing innovative mental health facilities in addition to regular mental health OPD and addiction treatment services to ailing masses.
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