Shifting of psychologists’ posts could hit mental health-care services in Kerala

The Health department’s recent shifting of clinical psychologists’ posts from Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram to other districts, even as there is a dire shortage of these professionals in government hospitals, is likely to impact mental healthcare in northern and southern parts of Kerala.

Of the four posts at the Government Mental Health Centre, Kozhikode, one each was shifted to the Government District Hospital, Thodupuzha, Idukki, and the Government General Hospital, Kalpetta, Wayanad. Of the two posts at the Government Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, one was shifted to the Government District Hospital, Kollam. A government order for the purpose was issued on July 29.

Officials, who did not wish to be quoted, told The Hindu on Monday (September 15) that the mental health centre at Kuthiravattom in Kozhikode was a referral centre for patients from northern districts such as Malappuram, Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad, and Kozhikode. “There are over 470 in-patients, including those in the forensic wards, and over 200 outpatients. Most of them need the services of a clinical psychologist for examination, assessment, psychotherapy, counselling and rehabilitation. Even four posts are inadequate for all this,” an official said. They also work as medical board members in taluk hospitals at Vadakara, Kuttiyadi, Feroke, and Koyilandy, apart from being involved in the assessment of differently-abled people to provide them with disability certificates.

Psychological support to inmates from central jails in Kannur and Tavanur in Malappuram, along with those lodged in prisons in Kozhikode district, is being provided by them. The district administration has also asked the centre to conduct learning disability tests of around 1,200 Class X students to ensure their support ahead of the final examinations. This work should be completed by January. The official pointed out that without at least four clinical psychologists, if not more, these works cannot be done properly.

The situation in Thiruvananthapuram was almost similar, with the staff strength reduced to one, he added. Another official in the department claimed that this could also lead to the denial of services to people with mental illnesses, which would be a violation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

Meanwhile, this internal arrangement is being made, ignoring the demands from district medical officers to create up to seven additional posts of clinical psychologists in Ernakulam, Wayanad, Idukki, Palakkad, Kannur, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Alappuzha.

Department higher-ups, however, justified the procedure, claiming that though there were 17 such posts across the State, some of the districts had more than two posts. Idukki, Wayanad, and Kollam, however, didn’t have even one post. The decision to shift some posts to these places was taken in view of this, they added.