The objective of global advocacy program of neuroeducation to psychological disorder – mass hysteria – in rural government school in Nepal broadly involved several components - society, brain and education. We successfully conducted the program on 10-12 January 2017.
Our team included two Clinical doctors, two Neuroscientists, three Clinical Physiologists and Anatomists, a local focal person, a media person, a veteran national singer and other supportive staff headed by myself ( Dr Sunil Dhungel). We went to two remote government schools in Dhading district- 80 kilometers west from capital. After General strategy meeting on 9th January, our team first went to Mahakali Secondary School, Pipaltar, Kumpur Village. This school had the case of mass hysteria recently among its students and school was even closed for a while. After briefing the objectives of our program to school principal and teachers, program was conducted in the open ground of school in presence of around 500 students, 40-50 local villagers.
I explained about mental stress, and over all objectives of program. Dr Ajaya Jang Kunwar, Vice President of NSN explained functional anatomy of human nervous system with the help of brain model. After this baseline information, all students were entertained by Mr. Nabin K Bhattarai with his songs. Then all students from grade 7 to 10 were provided with questionnaires containing 15 questions (in Nepali language) regarding general information about nervous system, stress, their school life, basic knowledge of mass hysteria etc. After baseline knowledge assessment the students performed drama (scripts prepared by our team members-Dr Barun Mahat and Mr Prakash Limbu) about mass hysteria and Dr Sabin Thapaliya (team member) as a member of drama explained about mass hysteria, its management and Mr Janak awasthi ( team member) summarized about mass hysteria. Then all the team members and teachers of school were involved for further explanation about mass hysteria using pamphlets and finally same students were given next questionnaires including baseline questionnaires plus questionnaires related to played drama, pamphlets etc.
Exactly the same protocol was followed in Naïve School, Shree Kalidevi Higher Secondary School, Salang – with no history of mass hysteria— in the same district about 30 kilometer west from previous school. Our team member Mr Sandeep Thapa with popular singer Nabin K Bhattarai entertained students.
In both schools after explanation about mass hysteria, students again performed drama (script was written by themselves) about mass hysteria. In both schools and another primary school our team members were also involved for distribution of ball pens, paper notebooks, first- aid kit boxes and science encyclopedia. We have also made a video of whole program to make documentary which we have planned to distribute to other schools.
Several other schools (mass hysteria encountered school and naïve schools) are showing keen interest and requesting for similar advocacy program. Kathmandu Center for Genomics and Research Laboratory (KCGRL), Neuroscience Unit was also involved actively in this program.
Nepali online news portals, broadsheet national newspapers and BBC (British Broad Casting) are showing interest for news cover of our successful completed program.
