SYMPOSIUM TOPIC: COVID and Mental Health: The Challenge and aftermath Abstract

Department of psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune was involved since beginning in addressing the issues of mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic and conducting research. The department collaborated with various agencies including government of India (GOI) in their outreach activities. Col Jyoti Prakash, Professor Psychiatry, AFMC, Pune had an honour of running a Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) made COVID hospital in Bihar. Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to GOI, had selected our department to collaborate with C-DAC (Centre for development of advanced computing) & NIMHANS towards creation of ‘National Digital Wellness Program’ delivered over smart phones- MANAS - Mental health And Normalcy Augmentation System for YoungISTAN - Young Indians: Smart, Talented & Natural. Project MANAS is in progress. The department conducted research on mental health impact on general population, Healthcare workers, COVID patients and their families. Last but not the least, we have managed mental health issues including grief arising during the pandemic. This symposium aims to highlight myriad mental health challenges of COVID 19 and aftermath. The symposium will cover COVID-19 mental health impact, administrative role, shades of grief and positive mental health by four speakers. Speaker 1 - COVID and anxiety: Col VS Chauhan, Professor of Psychiatry, AFMC, Pune. Speaker 2 - Challenges of running a COVID hospital : Col Jyoti Prakash, Professor Psychiatry, AFMC, Pune. Speaker 3 - Many shades of Grief: Col Rajiv Saini, Senior Advisor in Psychiatry, Military Hospital, Pathankot. Speaker 4 - Positive mental health: Surg Cmde Kaushik Chatterjee, Professor & HoD Psychiatry, AFMC, Pune.