Other States - Puducherry   

Need to upgrade psychiatry unit of general hospital

PUDUCHERRY: With a constant flow of patients from Puducherry to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Chennai for out-patient and in-patient services, there seems to be a need to upgrade the psychiatry wing of the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH & PGI) and also set up a rehabilitation centre.

At present, there is no separate facility such as the IMH for treatment of mentally-ill persons in Puducherry. The psychiatry wing at IGGGH has around eight beds, while the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has around 30 beds.

According to hospital authorities of IMH, there were 10 in-patients from Puducherry in 2007. Of this, four were voluntary boarders and six were brought through the reception orders issued by the Magistrate.

However, 63 persons from Puducherry had utilised the out-patient services of IMH through 756 visits in the same year.

The psychiatry wing of IGGGH receives an average of 100 to 125 out-patients a day and less than five were referred to IMH every year.

It had around 25 to 30 in-patients every month, said sources.

“Some persons approach the IMH first for treatment. Later, they come to the government hospital here and also collect the drugs with the same prescription. Mostly, it is prisoners and medico legal cases who are referred to the IMH,” a doctor said.

Apart from the existing facilities, the department would soon open the de-addiction centre with 12 beds.

“Treatment and drugs are available here and patients are getting cured. But like IMH, a rehabilitation centre is the need of the hour to help the patients. A rehabilitation-cum-day care centre could be established at the IGGGH. It would provide some level of productivity for the patients who are getting cured,” sources pointed out.

As per the guidelines of the National Mental Health programme, it was important to utilise resources to upgrade the existing centres rather than opening new mental hospitals, a psychiatrist pointed out.

To cater for the needs of patients in Puducherry, the existing bed strength of eight could be increased.

Accordingly, the number of staff including doctors, nurses and workers could be improved, he suggested.

“Through these improvement measures, mental health services would be adequate here. Rehabilitation would be very useful for the patients as it would provide employment to them,” he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Rangasamy assures full-fledged probe into convict’s death in jail
Need to upgrade psychiatry unit of general hospital
Funds released to celebrate Earth Day
National Green Corps inaugurated
Array of handicrafts under one roof
“Quota after obtaining panel views”
Inquiry ordered
AITUC takes out rally

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu