GUWAHATI, July 5 � Despite the legal provisions, uncertainty surrounds the existence of the mentally ill who have lost their home and family. In the capital city itself, homeless mentally ill persons particularly men, lying underneath a tree or roaming about or eating out of a dustbin has become a common sight. But in the fast growing city, there are very few who would really care for them and their welfare.
In view of the lackadaisical attitude on the part of the authorities concerned to implement the provisions of the law for the benefit of the mentally ill, the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) and Shishu Sarothi-Disability Law Unit are trying to gather opinion and advocate policy intervention in the case of mentally ill men who are homeless.
According to Dr Kamal Narayan Kalita, assistant professor, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, among the mentally ill persons who suffer from the disorder of thought called schizophrenia, the poverty stricken ones have greater chances of becoming homeless. �People in the age group of 20 to 40 are most affected by schizophrenia and the poor who suffer from this disorder are most susceptible to becoming homeless,� he said adding that as the treatment of such persons may take minimum two years or could be a life long process, the economically weak families find it difficult to continue the treatment resulting in the affected person becoming a destitute.
�One in 100 is affected by this disorder in the North East,� said Dr Kalita observing that awareness level about the legal provisions regarding the mentally ill was very low in the State and stressed the need for bigger role for police and non government organisations in this connection.
Ketaki Bardalai of Shishu Sarothi said that she had initially gone and made a verbal complaint to the OC of the Latasil Police Station about a few such persons in the Jorpukhuri area.
�The police officer told me that the guardians of such persons are responsible and not the police. Subsequently we wrote a written complaint to him citing Section 23 of The Mental Health Act 1987, which clearly states the role and responsibilities of the police in such matters. Then too they refused to accept the written complaint,� she said.
As Bardalai and her companions persisted with their effort, ultimately the police took such a mentally ill person under their custody.
�Currently this man is undergoing treatment at the GMCH, but the unfortunate situation is that the GMCH Pscyhiatry Department does not have provision for security and hence insists on the presence of an attendant along with any patient being admitted to their ward. This means that a policeman has to stay on duty as the attendant of this mentally ill destitute person. The police person also has to arrange for the medicines needed for this personnel as the GMCH doesn�t seem to have any provision for providing free medical care,� said Bardalai.
The HRLN and DLU team has found that there are a number of such persons who are seen wandering around aimlessly, and living on the streets in different localities. They have also submitted applications to the authorities concerned to take steps to implement the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1987. They are hoping to gather enough information for filing a PIL on this matter in the High Court too.
�The issue now is that of inadequate care and protection services for persons with mental illness in Guwahati/Assam. It has come to our notice that there are many such persons. At least 40-50 of them have been documented by the HRLN and DLU team. Some of these people were brought to Guwahati by friends and family members, and then unceremoniously abandoned on the streets of Guwahati and left to fend for themselves,� said Bardalai.
Here it has to be mentioned that Ashadeep, a society for the mentally ill has been running services for women with mental illness and in destitution, and have been able to restore many such women to their original homes and families.
The current scenario in Guwahati and Assam with regard to the incidence of mental illness and the availability of services is quite grim and there is need for immediate steps to address this issue.
GUWAHATI, July 5 � Despite the legal provisions, uncertainty surrounds the existence of the mentally ill who have lost their home and family. In the capital city itself, homeless mentally ill persons particularly men, lying underneath a tree or roaming about or eating out of a dustbin has become a common sight. But in the fast growing city, there are very few who would really care for them and their welfare.
In view of the lackadaisical attitude on the part of the authorities concerned to implement the provisions of the law for the benefit of the mentally ill, the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) and Shishu Sarothi-Disability Law Unit are trying to gather opinion and advocate policy intervention in the case of mentally ill men who are homeless.
According to Dr Kamal Narayan Kalita, assistant professor, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, among the mentally ill persons who suffer from the disorder of thought called schizophrenia, the poverty stricken ones have greater chances of becoming homeless. �People in the age group of 20 to 40 are most affected by schizophrenia and the poor who suffer from this disorder are most susceptible to becoming homeless,� he said adding that as the treatment of such persons may take minimum two years or could be a life long process, the economically weak families find it difficult to continue the treatment resulting in the affected person becoming a destitute.
�One in 100 is affected by this disorder in the North East,� said Dr Kalita observing that awareness level about the legal provisions regarding the mentally ill was very low in the State and stressed the need for bigger role for police and non government organisations in this connection.
Ketaki Bardalai of Shishu Sarothi said that she had initially gone and made a verbal complaint to the OC of the Latasil Police Station about a few such persons in the Jorpukhuri area.
�The police officer told me that the guardians of such persons are responsible and not the police. Subsequently we wrote a written complaint to him citing Section 23 of The Mental Health Act 1987, which clearly states the role and responsibilities of the police in such matters. Then too they refused to accept the written complaint,� she said.
As Bardalai and her companions persisted with their effort, ultimately the police took such a mentally ill person under their custody.
�Currently this man is undergoing treatment at the GMCH, but the unfortunate situation is that the GMCH Pscyhiatry Department does not have provision for security and hence insists on the presence of an attendant along with any patient being admitted to their ward. This means that a policeman has to stay on duty as the attendant of this mentally ill destitute person. The police person also has to arrange for the medicines needed for this personnel as the GMCH doesn�t seem to have any provision for providing free medical care,� said Bardalai.
The HRLN and DLU team has found that there are a number of such persons who are seen wandering around aimlessly, and living on the streets in different localities. They have also submitted applications to the authorities concerned to take steps to implement the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1987. They are hoping to gather enough information for filing a PIL on this matter in the High Court too.
�The issue now is that of inadequate care and protection services for persons with mental illness in Guwahati/Assam. It has come to our notice that there are many such persons. At least 40-50 of them have been documented by the HRLN and DLU team. Some of these people were brought to Guwahati by friends and family members, and then unceremoniously abandoned on the streets of Guwahati and left to fend for themselves,� said Bardalai.
Here it has to be mentioned that Ashadeep, a society for the mentally ill has been running services for women with mental illness and in destitution, and have been able to restore many such women to their original homes and families.
The current scenario in Guwahati and Assam with regard to the incidence of mental illness and the availability of services is quite grim and there is need for immediate steps to address this issue.
