Psychiatry
As the frequency of mental illnesses is increasing, requirement of psychiatric services in every hospital in general, and Teaching Hospital like ours in particular has been the necessity. It is important not only for treating the psychiatric illnesses but also for providing consultation-liaison services to other patients. The department was functioning since the establishment of the Hospital. There was a regular outpatient service for psychiatric illness conducted by a visiting consultant psychiatrist earlier. Since 2010, we have regular services from Psychiatrists. Since 2016 November, in-patient services also started.
Emergency Services:
The patients presenting with history of suicidal threats/ intentions/acts or those with substance intoxication/ withdrawal symptoms and those who are violent/ abusive are dealt with at emergency and admitted if required.
OPD Services:
Regular out -patient service is provided in all the week days (Sunday to Friday).
Inpatient Services:
Separate in-patient facility started for mentally ill patients since Nov 2016. Psychiatry ward has capacity of 16 beds and 4 cabins.
Ongoing Programs:
An educational research project in collaboration between KUSMS, NTNU, Norway, and Lifting The Burden.
Somatic Experincing Program in collaboration with the Whole Person Center, Hongkong.
Academic Activities:
Regular classes for MBBS, B.Sc. Nursing, BPT, and PCL Nursing are conducted by the department as per the Kathmandu University curriculum.
Department achievements:
- Dr Ajay Risal attended the Third National Summit of Health and Population Scientists in Nepal, organized by Nepal Health Research Council from 10-12 April, 2017 at Kathmandu; and presented the paper: "Anxiety and Depression in Nepal: Prevalence, Comorbidity and Associations"
- Dr Dipak Kunwar and Dr Ajay Risal attended the conference SYNAPSE organized by Psychiatrists’ Association of Nepal (PAN) at Kathmandu on 18th Nov 2016.
- Dr Ajay Risal attended a Workshop Building Duke-Nepal Collaborations: mHealth and Beyond organized by the Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal and the Duke Global Health Institute, USA: 18 Nov 2016, at Kathmandu
- Dr Ajay Risal attended 5th European Headache and Migraine Trust International Congress-EHMTIC: Sep 15-18, 2016, Glasgow, Scotland; and presented a paper
- Dr Ajay Risal has been regularly attending sessions of the Somatic Experiencing Certificate Program at Kowloon, Hong Kong.
- Dr Ajay Risal attended Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Basic Training Part 1, June 3-6, 2016, Kathmandu, Nepal.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
- Regular psychiatric evaluation of the mentally ill inhabitants in the Dhulikhel District Prison has been operationalized since Nov 2016.
- Post-earthquake psychosocial intervention" being conducted by the department in the community, and for the students at different schools.
- Organized the training program for the health workers and the teachers on "post-disaster psychosocial intervention.
- Monthly visit to Panauti Health Post to treat mentally ill patients.
Future plan:
- To build a Rehabilitation Center for de-addiction, occupational and vocational therapy for those with chronic psychiatric illnesses, and psychosocial intervention for any behavioral problems.
