*25 May 2011* *Nozia Sayyed*
*MUMBAI* - The regional mental hospital in Yerawada has been Pramila’s home for 22 years. Even though the 56-year-old, admitted to the hospital with schizophrenia by her father, has fully recovered, none from her family has come to take her backhome at Mazkenagar in Latur, despite requests from hospital authorities. “The hospital has now become my world. I do not recollect how my daughter looks like. She must be around 25 years now,” she said. Sunita’s plight too is pathetic. She has fully recovered from the ailment. “It has been 10 years now that I am staying at the hospital. I sometimes feel that it would have been better if I had died,” says the despondent woman in her 40s. Although she has two children and many relatives, none has come forward. Sunita now helps in dressing up patients, and other activities. Over 300 inmates, cured of various ailments, are forced to stay at the hospital as their kin have forsaken them. Most of them were suffering from schizophrenia. “We are eager to start our lives afresh and see the outside world,” said Pramila, who spends time knitting and making cellphone covers. The medical superintendent of the regional mental hospital, Dr Vilas Bhailume, said that apart from the 300 patients, the hospital has another 600 who have been undergoing treatment for a long time. “All such patients, including the ones who have been cured, need rehabilitation as mental illness not only makes a person non-productive but also takes away many years of his/her life,” he said. The hospital has chalked a rehabilitation project where patients will undergo various therapies and training to help them fight stigma and earn a living. “The rehab centre will come up on the hospital premises where vocational training like screen printing, tailoring, gardening and cooking will be taught. Those interested in learning about computers will get a chance,” he said. The proposal is awaiting the state government’s approval.A social worker, Rohini Bhosale, told DNA she had approached many NGOs and companies to adopt such recovered patients, but in vain. “There is no place for recovered mental patients as there is a lot of stigma attached. There are many who are willing to go out and work, but because their relatives have abandoned them and societal stigma, they don’t have a place to stay. They are forced to live in the hospital,” she said. “Family support is important for rehabilitation and relatives should not abandon their kin like this,” she said. *Kin seek information on illness, stigma* On the occasion of the World Schizophrenia Day on Tuesday, the regional mental hospital, Yerawada organised an interactive session with kin of patients undergoing treatment at the hospital. Many of the kin were keen on knowing about the rehabilitation process. They raised questions on employment opportunities for the patients after recovery, social stigma, acceptance of their patient in society and their behaviour after recovery. People from Vidarbha, Parbhani, Beed, Marathwada, Latur, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Mumbai and also from the city attended the session, said Dr Vilas Bhailume, medical superintendent of the hospital. “Some, especially those hailing from rural areas, were unaware about schizophrenia and its fallout,” said Dr Bhailume, stressing on the need for greater awareness of the mental disease. “Many parents are tense and harassed due to the status of their patients, which makes them vulnerable. Many even avoid meeting them because they cannot bear to see their dear ones go through such an ordeal. We promote awareness and counselling sessions for families of patients,” he added. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_post-recovery-schizophrenia-sufferers-wait-for-family_1547172-all -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
