Health Adviser explains sickness of students as 'temporary psychogenic illness'
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Health Adviser ASM Matiur Rahman Tuesday said the recent mass sickness of school students across the country is nothing but a kind of temporary "psychogenic illness," reports UNB.
"This is not a dangerous physical disease as it neither has any death risk nor any long-term complications."
Health Adviser ASM Matiur Rahman made the observation while speaking at a seminar on the mass illness at Dhaka Medical College.
Chaired by Principal of Dhaka Medical College MA Fayez, the programme was attended, among others, by Health Secretary Jamil Osman, Director General of Health Department M Shahjahan Biswas and Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital Abdus Shahid Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, Matiur Rahman said such illness mostly affects the children who are burdened with personal and familial pressure or who have low stress tolerance.
The Adviser further said the disease spreads fast when the children watch and listen about the symptom from the affected ones or due to alarming media publicity.
He called upon the media to help encourage the affected students to attend school rather than spread panic.
The Adviser also asked the teachers and guardians to be careful so that the school and college students do not feel any psychological or social pressure.
He expressed his satisfaction at the role of Health Ministry for taking necessary measures in this regard and appreciated the mass media for their positive reports after the press briefing at Health Ministry on July 19.
"This is not a dangerous physical disease as it neither has any death risk nor any long-term complications."
Health Adviser ASM Matiur Rahman made the observation while speaking at a seminar on the mass illness at Dhaka Medical College.
Chaired by Principal of Dhaka Medical College MA Fayez, the programme was attended, among others, by Health Secretary Jamil Osman, Director General of Health Department M Shahjahan Biswas and Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital Abdus Shahid Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, Matiur Rahman said such illness mostly affects the children who are burdened with personal and familial pressure or who have low stress tolerance.
The Adviser further said the disease spreads fast when the children watch and listen about the symptom from the affected ones or due to alarming media publicity.
He called upon the media to help encourage the affected students to attend school rather than spread panic.
The Adviser also asked the teachers and guardians to be careful so that the school and college students do not feel any psychological or social pressure.
He expressed his satisfaction at the role of Health Ministry for taking necessary measures in this regard and appreciated the mass media for their positive reports after the press briefing at Health Ministry on July 19.