DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 25: The 2nd batch Anganwadi workers (18 persons) under Chümoukedima block were trained and oriented on various topics by staff of Community Mental Health Programme (CMHP) under Prodigals’ Home and Senior Supervisor of Women Helpline 181 Nagaland at Chümoukedima on February 25.
In the first session, Akovi, Nitoka, Sentimenla, Yangerjungla and K Sani under CMHP, as resource persons, trained the Anganwadi workers on concept of mental health, mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, other psychotic disorders, depression, anxiety, phobias, etc, convulsive epilepsy and intellectual disability. Anganwadi workers work closely with the community and thus the main objective of the training was to accustom the Anganwadi workers with the cited illnesses/disorders so that they can easily identify persons with such illnesses/disorders and refer them to CMHP project for treatment and intervention.
In the second session, Chothalu Phesao, Senior supervisor of Women Helpline 181 Nagaland, oriented the participants about toll free number 181 which is a 24×7 helpline number specifically for women.
She informed that the helpline number was launched in 2016 in Nagaland with an aim to provide integrated assistance, medical, legal and psychological assistance to women affected by harassment and violence.
Notably, the ‘181’ helpline was launched in India after a horrific rape incident in 2012 in Delhi that sent shockwaves across the country. Phesao informed that since inception the helpline number has assisted and reached out to more than a thousand women in distress, both local and non-local.
She also informed that the 181 helpline number can also be accessed by anyone desirous of knowing about various facilities and scheme for women in the State of Nagaland. Ending the session, Yangerjungla, on behalf of “Menstrual Initiative Nagaland”, shared briefly about the initiative of how it aims to end sanitary pads poverty, break the stigma attached to menstruation and make bio-degradable pads available for all who cannot afford the same.
(Page News Service)
