Cuttack: If things go well, three premier state-run medical college and hospitals (MCHs)—SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here, Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Burla and MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur would soon have halfway homes.
Halfway homes will be for mentally ill patients who are discharged from a hospital but are not fully ready to live independently on their own or with their family. “With the facility, managing such patients would become easier,” SCB Mental Health Institute (MHI) director Sarada Prasanna Swain said, adding that work for the halfway homes would commence as soon as they get a nod from the state government.
SCB will have two such facilities, while the other two pioneer healthcare facilities will have one each, Swain said.
About the procedure, the MHI director said if a mentally ill patient shows a positive response to treatment in 15-20 days at the hospital, then s/he would be sent to the halfway homes where the patient would stay for another 15-20 days before being allowed to lead a normal life as an independent individual in society, Swain said.
Doctors and medical staffers would visit the halfway homes on a regular basis so as to ensure a seamless post-discharge observation. The facilities would ensure regular counselling of patients and their family members too, Swain added.
This apart, plans are on to rehabilitate the destitute patients in line with the Supreme Court’s guidelines. And such facilities may also act as district-level centres for rehabilitation of destitute patients, Swain explained.
Sources said seven destitute, who were at the SCB MHI for the past four years or so, have been rehabilitated at a shelter home in Delang Thursday. “Despite being cured, most of the destitute couldn’t be discharged or even asked to vacate the MHI ward as they hardly have any idea about their address or acquaintances. This had turned the MHI into a destitute home,” Swain pointed out, adding that the MHI will be made destitute-free by April end.
“At least 50 destitute from the MHI have been relocated at several social institutions over the past couple of months. And efforts are on to relocate the remaining 40 by the month end,” the MHI director said.
A 10-bed destitute ward would come up at SCB soon. And provisions will be made to rehabilitate them once they are cured, Swain added.