Agra Mental Health Institute Opens Ward for Distressed Farmers; Sees a 33 Per Cent Spike

Agra: After unseasonal rain and hailstorm caused heavy damage to their crops, over 100 farmers in Uttar Pradesh reportedly died of shock, just in the month of March. Seeing this worrying trend, the Agra Institute of Mental Health and Hospital has opened a special ward to treat farmers suffering from depression and suicidal tendencies.

"We have started a special clinic keeping the problems of the farmers in mind, which will be open daily, to counsel farmers and treat them," says DM Rathore, the Medical Superintendent at the Institute.

A team of doctors will also visit the affected villages to reach out to those farmers who do not make it to the institute, in an attempt to motivate patients to seek treatment.

The institute says since the ward opened, the number of patients has seen a 33 per cent spike, most of whom are farmers who have lost their crop and are in heavy debt, in desperate need of counselling.

The institute's director Sudhir Kumar says a two-fold treatment method is being followed. "For psychological ventilation we hear them out first. Then comes supportive psychotherapy in which we try to work on positive aspects of their personality and discourage the negative traits," he said.

Advertisement

55-year-old Mahadev, who lost his six acre wheat crop, is one of the many seeking treatment at the newly-opened ward. He says crop loss has left him feeling lost.

"Nothing of my six acre crop was left. I'm undergoing a lot of anxiety and unable to sleep at nights," he said.

Advertisement

Over 95 lakh hectare crop have been destroyed in Uttar Pradesh alone by unseasonal rain and hailstorm, according to the state government.