Building Community Bridges, Inc. - ABridgetoKashmirIndia

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Prevention And Care for Everyone (PACE)
A Bridge to KASHMIR by way of South-South Cooperation

Kashmir, Legendary paradise on earth, celebrated in verse and song and for centries by poets and travelers, warriors and mystics, has unfortunately during the past 30 years become a destination of death and destruction and untold miseries.

Psychiatric probelms in particular, have risen phenomenally, due to ongoing conflict and violence, between government and armed terroristis from Pakistan. We the people are caught in between, exploited alike by some politicians and those few who favor violence over peace.

Some disorders/disease like PTSD, major depressive disorders, and suicidal tendencies are a real threat to survival of Kashmiris. These lead to stigmatization, so people don't visit doctors on their own. Also due to regular strikes, economic conditions of people is simple pathetic, one more grey area is rampant drug abuse in Kashmir. At least 10% of teenageers have bceome drug addicts. They consume medicinal opiods, brown sugar and cannabis.

Domestic Violence against women is very common and on the increase. Another area of concer is increase cases of diabetes. A study by Sherikashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar showed 8% adult Kashimiries have diabetes mellitus, while prediabetic state is found in 26.6% in Kashimiris, type 2 Diabetes in young persons has increased 30% over 20 years of violence concomitant with increase in daily violence, stress and obesity and detection at late stages of diseases is with complications, is also increasing.