To support the survivors and those injured in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, the BMC has issued a circular announcing emergency mental health services at four major civic hospitals: Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College and KEM Hospital, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital (Sion Hospital), and Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Medical College and R N Cooper Hospital. Psychiatrists and psychologists will be available daily from 9 am to 4 pm.

However, in serious cases of extreme insomnia, flashbacks or restlessness, doctors will be available after 4 pm as well, stated the circular. “It is very important that the survivors get proper psychological and psychiatric treatment to come out of this trauma. And thus, as soon as over 500 surviving and injured tourists were brought back, the state government gave the directive to provide mental health to them and we accordingly informed all the major four civic hospitals to provide the much-needed help to them,” said Dr Neelam Andrade, director medical education and hospitals, BMC. She further mentioned that the services will include counselling, assessment of acute stress, screening for post-traumatic stress disorder and also provide medication depending on each case.