160 Psychiatrists From Odisha Participate In SUM Hospital’s Meet On ‘Law & Psychiatry’

Bhubaneswar: Around 160 psychiatrists from across Odisha attended a day-long Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on ‘Law and Psychiatry’ organised by the Department of Psychiatry of Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

A plethora of subjects were discussed during the program by eminent experts who focused on how doctors should prepare themselves to face judicial requirement in cases when summoned to the court room. The CME was organised in collaboration with the Odisha State Branch of the Indian Psychiatry Society (IPS).

Five eminent psychiatrists of the country spoke in different sessions on varied topics and took part in panel discussions.
While Prof S Nambi, eminent psychiatrist from Chennai, spoke on ‘Marriage, Mental Illness and Indian Law’, Prof Naveen Kumar articulated his views on ‘Psychiatrists in the Court Room’. Prof C Laxmi Narayan from Gaya, spoke on ‘Certification in Psychiatry’.

Prof Ivan S Netto, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, BJ Government Medical College and Sassoon Hospital and Prof Srinivas Singisetti took part in panel discussions.

Prof Rajani Kanta Shukla, president of Odisha branch of IPS, who presided over the inaugural session, said anything the doctors wrote had a medico-legal implication. Prof Prabir Kumar Pattnaik, senior professor at the SOA National Institute of Law, spoke on ‘Interlink between Law and Psychiatry.’

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Prof Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital. Stating that medical practitioners were weak in legal aspects, she said the CME would go a long way in augmenting their knowledge.

Prof Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital; Prof Surjeet Sahoo, Head of Department of Psychiatry at IMS and SUM Hospital; Prof Subhendu Narayan Mishra, vice-president of Odisha branch of IPS; Debadatta Mohapatra, general secretary of Odisha branch of IPS; Prasanta Kumar Mohapatra, chairman of the CME Committee and Jitendriya Biswal, organising secretary of the CME also spoke.