Mumbai: Apex Parsi body launches historic mental health fund

In a firstofitskind initiative the Bombay Parsi Punchayet BPP mdash the apex administrative body for the cityrsquos Parsi Zoroastrian community mdash has announced the creation of a dedicated mental health corpus to support community members battling psychiatric illnessThe move marks a significant shift in how institutional welfare is being approached within the community The corpus aims to offer longterm financial and therapeutic support to individuals dealing with conditions such as depression bipolar disorder schizophrenia neurodevelopmental disorders and moreThe fund will cover hospitalisation medication caregiver support rehabilitation services and vocational reintegration for affected individuals mdash many of whom are unable to access or afford sustained psychiatric careldquoMental health issues are often hidden mdash not because they donrsquot exist but because families are afraid to speakrdquo said Armaity Tirandaz BPP trustee and board member leading the welfare initiative ldquoThis fund is our way of acknowledging that suffering exists in silence and that silence needs to be broken mdash with support not shamerdquoArmaity Tirandaz BPP trustee and board member leading the welfare initiativeThe move is especially notable in the context of Indiarsquos broader mental health landscape where stigma underdiagnosis and inadequate infrastructure often delay treatment and interventionThe initiative was proposed after repeated cases came to the boardrsquos attention particularly involving members of the community who after years of untreated illness required intensive institutional care and financial aid For many families the cumulative cost of medication therapy residential care and income loss became overwhelmingldquoWhat makes this effort unique is that itrsquos not just reactive itrsquos preventive and structuralrdquo said Tirandaz ldquoWersquore building a safety net that addresses mental health as a community priority not just a private strugglerdquoDisbursement of funds will be based on professional assessments and reports from mental health practitioners BPP has assured that each case will be handled with discretion medical oversight and transparency with all documentation vetted before any aid is givenSustained support essentialSpeaking to midday Dr Rohann Bokdawala MD Psychiatry consultant at GTB Hospital in Sewri and Masina Hospital in Byculla saidldquoTherersquos a lack of awareness and persistent myths about psychiatric care Many still equate treatment with lsquoshock therapyrsquo or sedation People fear that once someonersquos illness is discovered it affects job prospects and marriagerdquoHe added ldquoThe cost of longterm psychiatric care is staggering up to R2 lakh a month at licensed centres Patients often need six to 18 months of treatment making sustained financial support not just helpful but essentialrdquoDr Bokdawala noted that tightknit Parsi housing colonies create a fear of judgment and gossip making families reluctant to seek help ldquoA discreet and wellmanaged corpus can be lifechangingrdquo he saidWersquore listening and we careBPP Chairman Viraf D Mehta who has backed the initiative called it a ldquolongoverdue steprdquo ldquoMental health has always been hard to talk about People donrsquot know what to say so they say nothing This fund is a small way of showing that wersquore listening and that we carerdquo he said ldquoEvery community has unique needs and this is one wersquove ignored for too longrdquoThe corpus is now open for donations from individuals and charitable trusts All contributions will be ringfenced and used solely for the mental healthcare of Parsi Irani Zoroastrians in need Donors can reach out to BPP CEO Aspi Sarkari at bppceoasgmailcomThe fund will also support caregiver training counselling and rehabilitation programs particularly for young adults and senior citizens two groups often left unsupported ldquoIf this fund helps even one person feel less abandoned or one family breathe a little easier then wersquove done something worthwhilerdquo said TirandazCommunity reactionsKersi Minocher Sanjana 73 Resident of Godrej BauglsquoItrsquos good to see the BPP finally addressing something many of us have witnessed quietly for years Every colony has families whorsquove struggled in silence This may not solve everything but itrsquos a muchneeded startrsquoPercy Harver 69 Resident of Princess StreetlsquoThe real test will be how sensitively and transparently this fund is handled If done right it could truly change livesrsquo