Srinagar, 27 Feb: In a moment of pride for the Department of Psychiatry at SKIMS Medical College, Dr. Insha Arjumand, a postgraduate alumnus, has distinguished herself by winning the Best Paper Presentation award in the Poster Paper category at the 19th National Conference of Biological Psychiatry (IABP), held on February 22nd and 23rd, 2025, in Gurugram, Haryana. This prestigious event was organized in collaboration with notable organizations such as the Indian Psychiatric Society and the Delhi Psychiatric Society.
The award was presented for her paper titled “Prevalence of Hepatitis C Viral Infection Among Opioid Dependent Injectable Drug Users.” The research was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Abdul Majid, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry (now the Advanced Centre for Mental Health & Addiction Medicine) at SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, Srinagar, J&K. Opioid addiction has been on the rise in the last few years in Jammu & Kashmir, leading to an increase in the prevalence of Hepatitis C viral infections among substance users, complicating the situation for patients, families, healthcare providers, and policymakers.
It is important to note that the Department of Psychiatry at SKIMS Medical College is dedicated to addressing mental health issues and addiction problems among the patient population in various districts of Kashmir, as well as the Chenab Valley and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The department is also actively involved in academic activities and research, as well as community-oriented programs, partnering with educational institutions for awareness campaigns and NGOs like VMS for psychosocial interventions among underserved populations.
Dr. Majid expressed his gratitude to the higher authorities in the administration, including the Director of SKIMS Soura, Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, Dr. Shariq A. Masoodi, Dean of the Medical Faculty, and Dr. Shafa A. Deva, Medical Superintendent of SKIMS Medical College, for their support in providing the manpower and infrastructure necessary to establish the Advanced Centre for Mental Health & Addiction Medicine. This initiative has already begun to yield positive results in terms of improved patient care and a wide range of available services.
