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The Kerala government is making efforts to integrate spirituality with the medical system in their bid to tackle the growing incidence of mental afflictions in the state.
The State Mental Health Authority has embarked on a project to equip the spiritual healing centres mushrooming across the state with tools of modern medicine.
The idea is to ensure availability of a psychiatrist, laboratory, referral infrastructure and other modern facilities in these centres to enable them to serve patients better.
It intends to set certain standards for more than 100 spiritual healing centres operating in the state at present.
It has sent notices to 26 prominent institutions, including Bhimapally mosque, Chottannikkara temple and Potta retreat, which represent Muslim, Hindu and Christian faiths respectively, to gauge their reactions about the proposal.
"The response has been encouraging. Majority of them are willing to experiment the scientific tools along with spiritual practices," SMHA secretary Dr Suraraj Mani said.
He told rediff.com that some institutions who were apprehensive about the proposal have been invited for discussions.
Dr Mani is not expecting any resistance from the medical practioners since several western countries have already started adopting spiritual methods for treatment of people.
Spiritual treatment has already been accepted as a major component of the programme for rehabilitating alcoholics and drug addicts the world over, he said.
"Spirituality is even part of the medical curriculum in several universities in the United States. The psychiatrists in the country should welcome our initiative since a large number of mentally ill are reluctant to seek modern treatment due to the stigma attached to the mental hospitals in the country," he added.
The spiritual healing centres have greater social acceptance in India. A large number of mentally ill prefer these centres since they provide better feeling of safety and comfort than mental hospitals.
"We don't have the infrastructure to handle the growing number of domestic disturbances, violence, drug addiction and suicides. The suicide rate in Kerala is one of the highest in the country at present."
"The rate of suicide per 100,000 population in the state is 31.5 compared to the national average of around 10," he said.
Meanwhile, the state government is pursuing a proposal for setting up a holistic health village in the northern district of Kannur to provide best of medical and spiritual healing under a roof in collaboration with Mata Amritanandamayi, a reputed spiritual leader hailing from Kollam in the state.
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