14 students committed suicide, 85 PG medicos opted out of education in Maharashtra in last 5 years

Mumbai: Maharashtra has witnessed 14 suicides among medical students in the last five years, placing it as the second-highest alongside Gujarat in this distressing statistic. The state is now on high alert after three student suicides occurred this year in Gondia, Mumbai, and Latur, prompting medical education authorities to prioritize the development of robust faculty support aids within colleges.

According to the latest Lok Sabha data, Karnataka leads in medical student suicides with 16 cases, closely trailed by Maharashtra and Gujarat, both reporting 14 deaths. Maharashtra's unique distinction is highlighted by its three suicides among undergraduates and 11 among post-graduate medical students, ranking highest in the country in the latter category.

Maharashtra has witnessed a disconcerting pattern over the past five years, with a total of 85 post-graduate medical students opting to abandon their courses.

According to the Indian Express, the conversations with medical students who attribute these troubling occurrences to the dearth of sufficient counseling services revealed that overwhelmed students often find themselves grappling with personal issues, work-related stress, or the distressing consequences of ragging, all while feeling unsupported. A student from BYL Nair Hospital shed light on the demanding schedule, where students endure continuous work for 24-48 hours without proper rest or adequate nutrition.

This challenging environment has given rise to conditions like anemia and malnutrition, exacerbating their mental health struggles. Tragically, the institution experienced a heartbreaking incident in 2019 when a post-graduate girl student allegedly succumbed to ragging, intensifying the existing challenges and leading to heightened agitation and short tempers among students as they struggle with personal problems.

A recent suicide within a medical college has cast a shadow over Government Medical College and Hospital in Gondia. This heart-wrenching incident involved a 23-year-old trainee doctor, who took his own life by hanging himself in the hostel. Just the month before, the medical community was shaken by another distressing event when a 24-year-old postgraduate student, enrolled in a Doctor of Medicine (MD) course at KEM Hospital, allegedly died by suicide at the civic-run Tuberculosis Hospital in Sewri. Prior to these incidents, a 21-year-old first-year MBBS student from BJ Government Medical College in Pune also tragically ended her life, citing stress and study-related issues as contributing factors in the lead-up to her upcoming examinations.

A recent study carried out by Solapur's Government Medical College has highlighted the amplified mental health hurdles that confronted MBBS students during the Covid-19 pandemic. Out of the 619 undergraduate students who partook in the study, a substantial 358 (57.83 percent) grappled with extremely severe anxiety, while 103 (16.63 percent) battled extremely severe depression, and 68 (10.98 percent) endured the strain of extremely severe stress.

In light of this concern, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has initiated measures to address the issue and issued guidelines to medical colleges nationwide, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the mental well-being of their students. As a part of this initiative, the state medical education department is actively working on designating one faculty member to monitor the academic progress and overall welfare of 15 students throughout their MBBS program.

According to report in The Indian Express, a senior official clarified that throughout the entirety of the five-year program, each faculty member will have the responsibility of overseeing and nurturing the welfare of three students belonging to their assigned batch.

The official added, "Considering the substantial count of medical students, it is impractical for faculty members to provide direct oversight to each student. Consequently, we will appoint one faculty member for each batch who will be entrusted with the task of ensuring the students' well-being throughout their entire college journey." The faculty members will maintain regular communication through a shared WhatsApp group.

Mumbai's Seth G S Medical College, also known as KEM Hospital, is taking proactive measures to address this issue. They have appointed two dedicated counselors to provide support to their medical students through a program called 'Dosti,' which has been running for almost a year and has already benefited around 100 students. Dr. Sangeeta Ravat, the Dean of the hospital, explained, "Whenever a student experiences anxiety or exhibits signs of mental health issues, they are referred to the counselors. Additionally, students can approach the counselors directly, ensuring the confidentiality of their discussions. We are also in the process of hiring another counselor."

Read Also: 23-year-old MBBS intern at GMCH Gondia ends life