Chennai: Marking World Occupational Therapy Day, celebrated on October 27, therapists in the city reiterated the need for more occupational therapy courses in colleges and also more awareness on the subject.
Over the last decade, the number of mentally ill in the country has increased four-fold. Apart from prescribing medication, very little is done to rehabilitate the ill, a role played by occupational therapists.
Therapy had lost its charm over the years as doctors don’t recommend it, said Dr P. Sugumar, occupational therapist and co-convenor of All India Occupational Therapy Association, (AIOCTA), Tamil Nadu. “These days doctors only prescribe medicines They either don’t have the time or don’t make efforts to tell the patient to seek the help of a therapist, to help them get back to their day to day jobs or at least find something productive to do according to their capabilities. "
“Doctors only prescribe medicines. There is no effort to tell patients to seek help of a therapist to help them get back to their jobs or find a skill that matches their capabilities,” he said. "We have been petitioning the government to start a course but with no success. The seven colleges that offer the course have packed classrooms,” said Dr Sugumar.
According to AIOCTA, it is mandatory to have a rehabilitation centre in hospitals but only two or three have one. Most often, the therapist is not replaced and the post remains vacant for years.
Statistics show that 3 to 30 per cent school students suffer from learning disabilities and by 2020, the elder population in the country will increase by 30 per cent. "With the increase in patients, there will also be a demand for more therapists, the country’s policy makers should take steps to make sure that rehabilitation centres are set up and run effectively."
Though occupational therapy was started in Tamil Nadu in 1969, the state has no regulatory body to keep an eye for fake therapists or to spread awareness on the significance of rehabilitation when it comes to mental illness or any disabilities, Dr Sugumar said. The helpline number for Occational Therapy is 9042363867.
