By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The spirit of Christmas filled the air of the Meghalaya Institute of Mental Health & Neurological Science (MIMHANS) on Thursday, when the Meghalaya United Women’s Welfare Organisation (MUWWO) came forward to help the patients set aside their mental agony and help experience the joy, celebration and the delight that predominates this festive season.
Singing and clapping along to the sound of music, a total of 75 patients with 29 females and 46 males admitted at the MIMHANS quickly grasped the festive mood on Thursday.
“The true spirit of Christmas is lending a helping hand to the people in need, instilling in them a sense of belongingness and giving them an impression that Christmas is not a season but rather it is a feeling”, President of the MUWWO Aruna Biswa stated.
These patients who are admitted in the institute either come voluntarily or through a reception order from the court, included those from Bihar, Bangladesh besides others; which sometimes put the institute’s authority in great difficulty tracing their hometown and identities as these patients are unsure about their background.
It was also informed that the institute is faced with problems of abandoned cases whereby a patient, fit to be discharged yet is still being kept in the hospital due to negligence on the part of the family members of the patient. At present, there are about 11 abandoned females and 14 males.
Dr Roy also stated that there are cases where family members are usually informed by the police to take the patient back home but no-body would turn up despite several attempts.
Commenting on matters relating to the discharge of patients received through Reception order (RO), a proper procedure has to be followed whereby a notice is sent to the magistrate seeking the permission of the court to release the patient.
Interestingly, it was learnt that there was a patient, Thakur Ali who was admitted in the institute decades ago when he was still a little boy but to the inability to trace his identity, Ali grew up and spent his life in this institute with no expectations to leave this place.
Dr Roy also informed that unlike last year where 2 suicide cases were reported in the institute, this year, no such case was reported. He also informed that about 9 UTP are amongst the patients being admitted in the hospital with 8 males and 1 female.
Meanwhile, turning to the problems faced by the authorities, Dr Roy said the institute is deprived of a much needed Drug De-activation Centre (DDC), man-power, well-equipped ICU, Medicine specialists, whole of X-rays (radiology) besides others. Because of these inconveniences, patients have to be send to Civil Hospital or NEIGRIHMS, the psychiatrist said.
At present, the institute has 7 doctors, 2 counselors, 2 Medical Officers, 1 ambulance besides a few numbers of staff.
As far as infrastructure is concerned, very soon, the compound fencing at the back side of the playing area for the patients will be opened, besides a passage connecting the OPD to the mental building and the construction of a kitchen including water supply, sanitary installation and electrification.
Implemented by executive engineers of the Health Wing M Shylla, the three major construction work which took off in June 2012 will be completed very soon with the work progress almost reaching 100 percent.