TOI : Mental health system flounders : Sept 9, 2007

Mental health system flounders
Swati Deshpande | TNN

Mumbai: The Maharashtra mental healthcare system is not in the pink of
health. Conditions at the government-run mental health hospitals are enough
to drive anyone to the brink.

    At the Thane mental hospital, for instance, a surprise visit by the
chief judicial magistrate recently showed how a cooking gas shortage
resulted in the preparation of meals for its 1,300 patients using firewood
for about two weeks in July.

    A report submitted to the Bombay high court on the state's four mental
health hospitals pointed out a serious staff, beds and water shortage, rats
in the kitchen, filthy rooms and toilets, inadequate and broken furniture as
well as fans, torn uniforms, along with poor hygienic conditions in stinking
wards at the sprawling Thane mental asylum spread over 72 acres.

    Only 100 cots were available for the 1,300 patients. A vacancy of about
200 employees existed mostly in the Class III and IV categories in the
hospital meant for 1,850 patients. It currently has 691 male and 609 female
patients.

    The report said almost all sections required attention, from the laundry
department where only two of the three washing machines were working while
both the dryers were not. The kitchen, due to shortage of grants, had no
cooking gas and food was being prepared using wood. The only refrigerator
was malfunctioning and emitted a foul smell. The quality of wheat provided
by the ration department was poor and the chapatis were red in colour.

    The criminal ward houses one inmate connected with a murder case who has
been staying there for the last 37 years. Some patients were found sleeping
on mattresses instead of beds and even ate food while squatting on the
floor. The report noted that in most wards, lights and fans were out of
order and stray dogs could be found roaming around freely.

    In the Pune and Nagpur hospitals, the situation was similar to that of
Thane. Unclean toilets, poor hygiene, lack of drainage, delayed,
insufficient and non-nutritious meals, lack of cooking gas were a part of
the Pune institution.

    The high court, which is hearing a PIL filed to highlight insufficient
state funding, has directed the principal secretary (health) to conduct a
fresh survey and submit a report.

    s.deshpande@timesgroup.com


Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Sep 9, 2007; Section:Times City;
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