Is a mental health crisis enabling Goa's filthy politics and government? -Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo June 23, 2025

 

The recent incident at Goa’s premier medical institution which resulted in a flare up was probably the backfiring of a publicity stunt by the Health Minister and his PR team. This was not the first time that this minister was seen on camera rudely disciplining public servants in government hospitals, and had even managed to grab the desired publicity in social media. Perhaps emboldened by his earlier heroics paying off, the minister probably underestimated the target he chose this time. It was a higher ranked officer that was at the receiving end which possibly sparked an ego clash. It was more like a squabble for asserting their entitlement, which persons in authority, not only in politics but religion too, tend to suffer from after a period of time, particularly when they are considered to be next to God by the community. The body language, hands in the pocket and keeping on the face mask as if it was a casual interaction could irritate any boss who would read it as an attitude of defiance. It is such non-verbal body language with distressed relatives of patients which often provokes and leads to violence against the medical practitioners.

The media hype given to the GMC incident hardly resonated with the public on the street. For the common man, who at some point of time suffered a humiliating experience with government health services, this ‘Tu Tu Main Main’ remained nothing more than a quarrel of the elite and privileged class for control, with some fishing in troubled waters to reap cheap publicity. Some dragged in the land conversions destroying Goa in a bid to demonise the minister. Ultimately, what was the outcome of all this drama? Will it change anything when it comes to respecting the dignity of patients in the services of the government institutions? Or, has it helped further insulate the elite professionals in public service from scrutiny?

Any rational discussion on this incident ought to have focused on what deficiency in the Outpatient Department (OPD) service had caused the patient to approach the casualty ward, and how such inconvenience could be prevented in future. The actual issue which arose from the refusal to administer a B12 injection to a senior citizen in the casualty ward, on a day when the OPD was shut, got lost in discussing the disrespect for ‘human dignity’ of the doctor by a VIP. Such a big fuss to even administer an injection to a patient in a medical institution? But as usual, the issue got diverted into blaming the media persons who brought this problem to the notice of the authority and the public. The outcome of the controversy resulted in banning video recording in the hospital, probably to keep no traces of lapses in the delivery of medical services.

In the increased obsession with diabetes, hypertension, cancer and cardiac ailments and the need for super speciality treatment facilities in health care, what is forgotten is an even more vital aspect of health care: Mental Health. Perhaps the increased focus has to turn from Goa Medical College to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) located at one corner of the Bambolim plateau and out of public glare. The health of the mind is also known to play a vital role in physical health and both aspects need to be considered in treatment of ailments. Given the dysfunctional social and political situation which citizens are confronted with every day and in every place, mental health needs as much attention as physical health, if not more. The debate needs to shift from discussing good and bad people to healthy and unhealthy thinking and behaviour patterns, whether it is those in positions of authority or the civil society. The focus has to now drastically shift on understanding the psychopathology in Goa’s crisis, which manifests in all sorts of social evils like addictions, corruption, frauds, illegalities, defections, betrayals and crimes.

The arrogance and corruption involving politicians and public servants is not merely a failure of the political system. It’s also about an unhealthy personality which displays repeated and persistent behaviour that craves for adulation, lacks empathy, aggression and vindictiveness towards opponents, addiction to lying, and blatant disregard for rules and conventions, among others. Such behaviours that prioritise personal gain over the well-being of others and struggle with ethical decision making could very much spring from the “Dark Triad” which refers to a cluster of personality disorders, namely Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Sociopathy. In such an unhealthy environment toxic behaviours often go as normal, whether it is on the roads, footpaths, marketplaces or in offices, religious institutions and families. Can such toxic environment throw up healthy leaders who will provide good leadership and governance?

The common man fails to realise that the political chaos he encounters is much more complex and not just about bad politicians and good politicians, it's about unhealthy personalities in positions of authority, and even in media and social activism. The manipulative and deceptive leadership, whether in politics or social action, does not emerge and thrive in a vacuum, it needs a core base of followers and a reactionary public devoid of rational thinking and behaviour which is conducive to its rise.

If Goa is to be saved, Goans have to become informed on mental health and break free from this cycle of conflict and unhealthy interactions in the ‘Drama Triangle’ as described by the psychiatrist Stephen Karpman, which involves basically an interaction between three roles of Persecutor, Rescuer and Victim that keep shifting as per selfish considerations. This dis-empowering dynamics of coping with social and political problems has to consciously shift towards choosing the healthy roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach, which are part of The Empowerment Dynamic (TED).

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)