Rehabilitation centres will be built in mental health hospitals

311 people at three government-run institutions have been cured and are awaiting rehabilitation, according to Kerala’s health minister.

Health Minister Veena George told the Assembly on Wednesday that the administration has made preparations to open rehabilitation centres affiliated to the three government-run mental health facilities in the state.

She was responding to a motion by United Democratic Front (UDF) MLA Anoop Jacob to draw attention to the dire state of mental health facilities in the state, as well as the need to devise a plan to rehabilitate those who have recovered.

Ms. George said 311 persons across the three institutions had completed treatment and were waiting for rehabilitation. At the Government Mental Health Centre in Peroorkada, 162 persons have recovered and are awaiting rehabilitation. Of them, 103 are men and 59, women. Their relatives have not come forward to take them home.

At the Mental Health Centre in Thrissur, 69 persons are waiting for rehabilitation, of which 28 are women and 41, men. At the Kozhikode Mental Health Centre, 80 persons have to be rehabilitated, out of whom 25 have been shifted to various rehabilitation centres this year.

Work in progress

She said the work on a rehabilitation centre attached to the Kozhikode hospital would be completed in 2022. Administrative sanction has been accorded for a similar centre at Thrissur. The preliminary study for infrastructure development at Peroorkada is progressing.

Those unable to return home after treatment are being provided skills training and psycho-social support through the ‘Home Again’ project, said Ms.George.