Surrounded by pain and death, second wave is aggravating mental health issues
The Hindu
Counsellors offer ‘psychological first aid’ to those in emotional distress
When the second wave erupted like a volcano in India, catching most people off guard, a group of mental health professionals decided to establish a pan-India mental health helpline about a week ago to offer free counselling to those in emotional distress. The kind of calls they started receiving was wide-ranging - from families and friends standing outside hospitals in desperation, unable to find beds for their near ones, to those who were distressed because of “survivor's guilt” - how they are unaffected while their loved ones were. The impact of COVID-19 has not just been the obvious physical one; surrounded by pain, death and isolation, the pandemic is having a huge impact on people’s mental health too. Ashwini N.V, Founder-Director, Muktha Foundation, which launched the COVID-19 emotional distress helpline, said though they are primarily an organisation focussed on abuse prevention, they decided to cater to the emotional distress caused by the second wave.Chambers for new Ministers being spruced up at Andhra Pradesh Secretariat. Arrangements are also being made for the swearing-in ceremony of Chandrababu Naidu as Chief Minister. Authorities are also making arrangements for the conduct of the Legislative Assembly session to enable the MLAs-elect to take oath.
Fissures in TDP-JSP alliance to the fore in Pithapuram Assembly constituency. TDP in-charge Varma, who had sidestepped to enable JSP supremo Pawan Kalyan to enter the fray and emerge victorious in the elections, alleges bid to eliminate him by the supporters of JSP’s Kakinada MP-elect Tangella Uday Srinivas on the night of June 7.
Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharan Prakash Patil on Saturday rejected all accusations against him in connection with the Karnataka Valmiki Development Corporation’s financial scam, saying he was ready for any probe over the alleged meeting at his office at Vikasa Soudha over destruction of evidence with regard to the alleged scam.
Neglect of freedom fighters in academic content of State universities “shocking”, says T.N. Governor
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Saturday expressed shock over what he described as the neglect of Indian freedom fighters in the academic content of State universities.