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Genia Sarkar, a 40-year-old, runs her family with her husband and two daughters. But her mood remains always pettish.
Her elder daughter was born blind and she spends most of the day with her daughter.
At the beginning, Genia’s husband thought that her wife’s mood always remains snappish as she has to spend her time with their daughters.
The husband felt that the problem will deteriorate further unless a solution is reached. So one day, he along with his wife visited a psychiatrist.
Young beautiful woman Rahela became a victim of acid attack in March last year. A spoilt youth of her locality had been proposing her for love. As Rahela did not respond, the youth burned her with acid.
Rahela was admitted to the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Spending months, she returned home after receiving treatment at the hospital. Though Rahela now feels well to some extent, she remains always depressed.
There are millions of women like Genia and Rahela who are suffering from depression. But 99 per cent of them never visited any psychiatrist. Unawareness and ignorance are main reasons. Most of the women do not understand that they are suffering from depression.
Keeping these women in mind, the Access to Information (a2i) and the Ministry of Women and Children are going to launch a service-oriented website through the Women Innovation Camp.
With the launching of the website, officials concerned said, the women will get all information relating to health, especially mental health, through it.
The women, particularly after giving birth to child, suffer from depression due to parturition. They will be able to take help overcoming this disease through this website. Besides, the portal will also contain information about the nurturing of children.
Monira Hossain is the brainchild of the website, who is also an acid attack victim.
Monira said: “Yes I am a sufferer…I completely feel the trauma of an acid burnt woman and what she goes through and how much mental disorder she is left with. From that thought and care, I started thinking about doing something for the women.”
Monira said she developed her plan in the Women Innovation Camp last year and it was declared a winner on the World Women Day on March 7 in 2017. “I was given Tk 1.9 million for executing the idea,” she said.
She said a dummy design of the website has been developed and we are progressing. “I hope the website will be made open to all by next year’s Women Day,” Monira added.
She said women frequently face various problems in the family and society. As a result, they remain suffering from mental disorder which may take an alarming turn later.
Monira said the website will help women suffering from depression to take steps and solve their problems. Besides, there will be a hotline through which the women could take counselling on different psychological problems.
Through this website, she said, the women will get to know other healthcare services of the government.
Psychiatrist Dr Anwarul Islam said: “Many people of our country call psychological problem as a mental disease and also consider the visiting of the doctors for depression as luxury.”
She said most of the people in the country are not aware of it. If any person suffers from mental depression for a long time than the problem may deteriorate further, reports BSS.
Monira said in the developed countries, all – from children to elderly people – visit physicians for once in a month or at least once in six months.
“Any woman may suffer from mental disorder over reasons such as family unrest, office trouble or tackling her children. Proper advice and treatment at right time are needed to prevent it,” she said.
Welcoming the government initiatives for launching of the website, Monira said proper steps will have to be undertaken so that this service could reach every house, every family and every woman.