The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Community-based rehabilitation of mentally ill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 06, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Community-based rehabilitation of mentally ill

By Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI, FEB. 5. A prototype in public-private partnership in healthcare will evolve as The Banyan, working for mentally ill women, launches its community-based referral and rehabilitation programme.

With its experience in serving homeless mentally ill women, the NGO will now pitch in to contribute to three key areas: awareness creation, providing localised psychiatric care and supporting the rehabilitation of those who have been cured. As part of this, a community care centre, built on the lines of a public health centre, will be set up at Kovalakuppam village in Kancheepuram district. Close to this facility, an individualised rehabilitation centre built on a village community model will also come up.

A preliminary study in the district revealed the presence of a number of persons who require some form of psychiatric attention, some of them seeking remedies in witchcraft and faith healing. There are no private psychiatric practitioners. Though there are more than 20 hospitals and clinics in the district, no psychiatric facilities are available except in two hospitals which offer out-patient services twice or thrice a week.

The community centre will cater for the needs of these patients, even providing in-patient facilities at the venue. In addition, the community will be involved as stakeholders in the venture, along with NGOs working in those villages, said Vandana Gopikumar, founder-trustee, The Banyan. The centre will be funded by E Funds, which has promised about Rs. 24 lakhs.

Creating awareness of mental illness in the community, providing facts about the illness and eroding myths will be part of the larger task of the organisation.

To provide incentives for the family to take care of the ill, a disability pension will be paid when they attend the community centre, the mentally ill person in tow, for follow-up and medication.

Community setting

The rehabilitation centre, also a protected community setting, will house about 100 persons who have already received care and treatment at The Banyan's centre. They will be allowed to recuperate in the rural quiet, besides being provided skill training.

A physician couple from the United Kingdom, the Walters, have committed to building this facility in memory of their mother. Continued rehabilitation work will be in collaboration with the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.

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