Shillong, July 7: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Shri Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the 1st National Conference organized by the Continuing Institute of Nursing Cell, Woodland Institute of Nursing, Shillong in collaboration with St. Anthony’s College, Shillong and Co-sponsored by Chief Minister Youth Development Scheme on the theme “Substance, Suicide and Adolescents: Effects of Substance abuse and Suicide in Adolescents”.
The inaugural programme was also attended by Shri Richard B. Uriah, Principal of North Liberty Higher Secondary School, Dr. W. Kharshiing, Managing Director, Woodland Institute of Nursing, Bro. A. Dkhar, Principal, St. Anthony’s College, Smti L. Kharbangar Das, Principal, Woodland Institute of Nursing and students.
The conference was organized with an aim to highlight the prevalence of substance abuse and suicide among adolescents and to create awareness on its effects on the society and the youth. The objectives of the conference is to identify the different types of substances and its effect, knowing impact of substance abuse including its prevention, to elaborate concept of peer group pressure, to understand causes of suicidal tendency among the youths, to focus and help the youths with suicidal thoughts and to correlate the relation between substance abuse and suicidal tendencies.
In his inaugural address, Shri Sangma lauded the Woodland Institute of Nursing and the entire teams for timely conducting this programme to create awareness and sensitize the youth that drug and alcohol is not the way to get rid of your pressure. Shri Conrad said that we cannot fight this battle by simply putting the various measures to check and stop the flow of different substances in our State, he said it is time to come together for the politician, academician, health sector and society in general to be able to find some kind of way forward to tackle the problem.
He also reminded that the future of our state, country and global economy is really dependent on how we channelize the energy of our youth, the government can only create the policies, infrastructures and facilitate the different kind of ideas, action and programmes to be taken, but ultimately it is the youth who are going to determine the future of our nation, he added.
Stating that substance abuse has got the capacity to channelize all the energy in the wrong direction and also has a multiple impact in the society, Shri Conrad stressed on the need to set up counseling centre and support system for the youth to ensure that whenever young people are faced with any challenge, stress and difficulties in life, they are guided in the right direction.
During the programme, the Chief Minister along with other dignitaries released a Souvenir of the Woodland Institute of Nursing titled “U Mawmer ka jingjop”.
The topics for the technical session are Substance use and abuse and overview, Medical aspects of substance use, Peer group pressure and adolescents at risk, Impacts of substance abuse in the society and Substance abuse and suicide: where the two intersect, Narcotic drugs and Psychotropic substance Act, Suicide among adolescents with substance abuse: prevention and intervention strategies followed by a panel discussion on the theme.
The resource persons include Dr. D. Gogoi, Consultant Psychiatrist, Woodland Hospital, Dr. B. Barman, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, NEIGRIHMS, Smti I. Shadap, Clinical Psychologist, Civil Hospital, Nongstoin, Smti. M. Anthony, Nursing Superintendent Downtown Hospital, Assam, Dr. B. Bhagabati, former Professor, GMCH, Assam and Dr. A. Nongpiur, Asstt. Professor Department of Psychiatry NEIGRIHMS.
The Panelists for panel discussion are Smti. J. G. Syiem, Programme Co-Ordinator, NEN, Shillong, Shri V. Syiem, SP, West Jaintia Hills, Jowai, Shri H. Mohrmen, Shri A. K. Roy, Psychiatric Social Worker, Nazareth Hospital, Shillong and Smti P. Chakravorty, Professor cum Principal, International College of Nursing, Assam.
