PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched two initiatives aimed at improving the physical and psychological health of Goa Police personnel at an event held at GRP G.O Mess in Altinho, Panaji on Monday. The initiatives, titled ‘Manas Mentor’s and ‘Swasth Police Sashakth Police’, aim to support the well-being of police officers by addressing both mental health and physical fitness.
The program began with a workshop on stress management conducted by Dr. Ravindra Agarwal, a psychologist from Sangath, followed by a session on mindfulness led by Aresh Naik, Assistant Professor (Psychology) at Parvatibai Chowgule College of Arts and Science. These workshops focused on equipping police personnel with tools to manage stress and improve their mental resilience.
The CM also launched an awareness poster on stress management as part of the ‘Manas Mentors’ initiative, which will be distributed across all police stations in Goa. "Counseling is an integral part of psychological health, and I am confident that these initiatives will help both the physical and psychological well-being of our police personnel," said Sawant.
The ‘Manas Mentors’ initiative will also involve Sangath circulating an electronic form among police personnel to assess their overall physiological health.
In addition, the ‘Swasth Police Sashakth Police’ campaign was introduced as a year-long project to screen 1,500 police personnel in North Goa each month. Health parameters such as blood pressure, random blood glucose, and body-mind index (BMI) will be tracked, with medical support from the Telemedicine Society of India (Goa) and IMA Bicholim. Dr. Shekhar Salkar, President of IMA Bicholim, presented an overview of both initiatives, assuring that IMA Goa would closely monitor their progress. "We are committed to ensuring that these programs provide continuous support and contribute to the overall health of our police personnel," he said.
In his speech, DGP Alok Kumar emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive attitude for a stress-free life. "A positive mindset is crucial for a happy and healthy life," he said. He also expressed gratitude to IMA Goa and the Telemedicine Society of India for their contributions to the well-being of Goa Police.
The event, attended by over 100 senior and junior police officials, also saw the presence of key dignitaries, including Alok Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP) Goa Police; Dr. Sandesh Chodnakar, President of IMA Goa State; Dr. Dattaram Dessai, President-Elect of IMA Goa State; Dr. Shekhar Salkar, President of IMA Bicholim; Varun Nagpal, CEO of VIANAAR; and Aresh Naik, Chairperson of Sangath Goa.
