Mangalore, Mar 31: Justice N Kumar, Karnataka High Court Judge said that accordng to WHO statistics, around 10 per cent of the population suffers from mental illness while 1 per cent suffer from chronic mental illness. If such kind of trend continues, then this may become the number one disease in the world in the next ten years.
He was speaking after inaugurating Mental Disease Awareness Programme organised at TV Ramana Pai Convention Hall on March 30, Sunday.
The event was organised under the aegis of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka State Mental Health Authority, District Legal Department, District Administration, District Lawyers Guild, KMC Medical College, Mangalore City Corporation and District Wenlock Hospital.
Justice Kumar also said that mental illness was responsible to for the rising number of suicide cases. The mental illness can be treated, hence there is necessary to create awareness among the people in this regard. The patients must be treated instead of neglecting them , he said.
Chief Judicial Magistrate BV Prakash, presided over the event.
The organisation felicitated Dr OIinda Pereira and Dr BK Arun Kumar on the occasion.
District Surgeon Dr Rajarajeshwari, DC A.B. Ibrahim also spoke on the occasion.
ZP Chief Executive Officer Tulasi Maddineni, SDM Law College Principal Dr BK Ravindra, SP Dr Sharanappa, Dr Ravish Tunga, Dr Shantharam Shetty and others were present.
