Exploring Community-Based Mental Health and Palliative Care : Field Visit to Akathethara PHC

The students of HS 5009: Mental Health and Society in the Global South visited the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Akathethara with the course instructor, Dr. Sudarshan R. Kottai, Assistant Professor,Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Palakkad.The visit aimed to explore community-based health care approaches and understand the complexities of the human condition. The students were briefed on Kerala's health system by medical officers and a palliative care nurse. Dr. Vibha Usha Radhakrishnan, Kerala's first transgender MBBS doctor, delivered a lecture on the state’s pioneering palliative care movement. The visit also included interactions with bedridden patients, providing students with valuable insights into the psychosocial aspects of community health.