Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)
Udupi, Jul 2: City-based Dr A V Baliga Memorial Hospital, Doddanagudde, in association with the Centre for Educating Tribals, conducted an alcohol de-addiction camp for members of the Koraga community recently at the hospital premises.
The camp was attended by 19 Koragas, five of whom were women. Most of the participants were in their twenties and a majority of the participants were basket-weavers from Kasargod area.
Social workers from the Koraga community took the initiative to organize this camp as the community is plagued by the menace of alcoholism. It is culturally acceptable for even children and women to consume alcohol regularly. Most of the participants of the camp first consumed alcohol around the age of 14 or 15.
Detailed medical and psychiatric evaluation of all the participants was held and two of them were diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenia, one from depression, and five from alcohol-induced liver disease. Seven participants were diagnosed as having eyesight problems, while two suffered from delirium, and one was diagnosed as having a mild form of leprosy and was referred for further treatment.
Daily rounds were conducted by psychiatrists in addition to one-on-one counselling of every participant, performed by trained counsellors and social workers.
Apart from this, daily talks were conducted in Tulu about the hazardous effects of alcohol and the path to recovery.
Talks on the spiritual aspects of life were conducted by ‘Brahmakumaris’. Members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) conducted meetings for all participants daily. Various cultural and entertainment programmes were also conducted by nursing students.
As most of the camp participants hail from Kasargod district of Kerala, they will be offered follow-up checking at the psychiatry department of K S Hegde Charitable Hospital, Deralakatte, Mangalore, to keep track of their progress in abstinence.
At the valedictory function, representatives from the Centre for Educating Tribals expressed great satisfaction and hoped that more such camps would be conducted in the future, considering the widespread usage of alcohol among the Koragas.