Rajendra Pal Gautam throws open homes for underprivileged mentally ill women

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Wednesday inaugurated half way homes/long stay homes for women in Nav Kiran I and Nav Kiran II, which will operate with the purpose of curing underprivileged woman suffering from mental illness.

"When people feel neglected from their near and dear ones, the need arises to care for them. At such times, it becomes the government's responsibility to give them a helping hand and care," said Rajendra Pal Gautam, Delhi social welfare minister, at the inauguration.

He added that the society treats mental illness as a burden and feels unable to accept mentally illness as a fact of life.

"Going to a mental hospital should not be seen as odd or to be hidden from society. It should be talked about as another illness and shared with the medical representative," Gautam noted. The half way home is meant to provide a facilitating mechanism for rehabilitation of persons whose mental illness is treated and controlled after their discharge from mental hospitals.

The aim of the scheme is to provide social integration and socio-economic rehabilitation of mentally improved patients.

At present, there are 40 rooms, where total strength is 80. The homes will provide occupational therapy, physiotherapy and counselling sessions, along with a visiting faculty of psychiatrists. "There will be an intake and exit assessment board, which will regulate the management. Right now, there are 18 patients admitted who have recovered from their illness and now are in the process of rehabilitation to cope up with the society," an official said.