Maharashtra: Government to provide vocational training to patients who recovered from mental illness
Mumbai, July 10, 2019: The Public Health department of the state will soon provide vocational training to patients in mental hospitals, in order to make them self-independent.
There are four mental hospitals in Maharashtra located in Pune, Thane, Nagpur, and Ratnagiri. Hundreds of patients are treated here on indoor and outdoor basis. Currently there are 230 patients in these hospitals who have been totally recovered and can live an independent life with medicines. The officials will start providing them training after which they will be rehabilitated. Most of the patients are abandoned by their family and also the whereabouts of a few of them are unknown.
Dr Sadhana Tayde, Joint Director of health services, said, "The mental hospitals are facing an acute problem of overcrowding due to the abandoned patients. This is not only about space in hospitals but the mental health of these patients, who have recovered, gets worsen because of living in the same atmosphere without any exposure to the outside world. Hence it is important for them to move out from the hospital once they are recovered."
This move is also expected to reduce the stigma attached to these patients said the officials. The state government’s mental health department will tie up with NGO who will impart vocational training to recovered patients in state’s four major mental hospitals. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will take the responsibility to rehabilitate these patients into society.
Dr Abhijeet Phadnis, Medical Superintendent of Yerwada Regional Hospital, said, "At Yerwada Mental Hospital we are providing vocational training to the stable and recovered. These patients will be rehabilitated whose family are not taking them back. We have created two separate wards for such patients and currently 28 patients (male and female) are living in these wards, which are called Happy Homes. They are taught file making, envelope making, candle making, tailoring and carpentry work etc." ETHealth