 Mentally
ill and chemically addicted people can lead a normal life
if proper medical care is given at right time. Indira
Health Home is a blessing to such people, where they get
a new lease of life. Headed by Dr. Purnima A Nagaraja,
the hospital is located in the serene surroundings
of the Banjara Hills. Dr. Purnima's parents late
Dr. A. Nagaraja and late Dr. Jaya Nagaraja,
eminent psychiatrists of international fame of their
time, founded the hospital in 1968. Dr. Purnima says,
"When my parents started this hospital, it was
the first of its kind in the State and in South India
offering specialised care to the psychiatrically ill."
Following the footsteps of her parents Mrs. Purnima did
her Diplomate  in
Psychiatry Fellowship and M.S. in Counselling and
Psychotherapy after the MBBS. She got trained
for five years in England in various hospitals
before taking over the reigns of the Indira Health Home.
The hospital offers residential, non-residential, and
"halfway home" treatment facility to psychologically
disturbed patients. It also conducts outpatient clinic
6 days a week. "We have facilities of the taking
care of acute and chronically ill patients, too. Our inpatient
section has separate wards for male and female and equipped
with a total of 25 beds. Separate accommodation will be
provided for the violent patients", added Dr.
Purnima, explaining the facilities of the hospital. Psychotherapy,
Pharmacotherapy, Behaviour therapy, Marital and Sex therapy,
Stress Management and other somatic therapies are
the
some of the specialised treatments available at the Indira
Health Home.
For the speedy cure of the patients the hospital provides
several recreational facilities like indoor and outdoor
games, library and television. Apart from the regular
therapies patients can attend Yoga and Meditation classes
regularly held in the hospital premises.
 The
hospital also runs a drug addiction and alcohol abuse
treatment centre. This section of the hospital specially
caters to the chemically dependent. "Addiction
to alcohol generally starts with social drinking or peer
pleasure. The addicts may come back to normal life if
properly motivated. Our de-addiction treatment centre
offers 30days treatment sessions, which includes detoxification,
family counselling, motivational therapy and individual
psychotherapy. More than 600 patients have successfully
undergone treatment from this centre and are now leading
normal and productive lives", said Dr. Purnima.
Address: Indira Health Home, 119, Road No. 5,
Near TWINS, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-500 034 Phone:
335 4765
E-mail: purnimanagaraja@yahoo.com |
