Blind faith incurable malady

By S. Vydhianathan and

Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI, AUG. 6. The death of 25 mentally ill patients in the fire which broke out at Erwadi village of Ramanathapuram district early this morning has brought into sharp focus the `unscientific' running of mental asylums.

Images of chained patients at Erwadi are not new to the people of the State. Despite a lot of public criticism and censure from the human rights point of view of the `inhuman' treatment of inmates at the institutions in the village, a combination of blind faith and superstition has ensured that the situation remained the same.

After reports of diarrhoea deaths at Erwadi in April 2000, the Government ordered a probe into the working of the asylums in the area. Recommendations made then included provision of a ward in the district headquarters hospitals in Ramanathapuram and Madurai, a training programme for doctors and para-medical staff in treatment of mental patients and for NGOs.

The five-member team comprising psychiatrists and social workers from the Institute of Mental Health, Chennai, visited 17 institutions for the mentally ill at Erwadi to evaluate the conditions there and an open offer was made to shift the patients to medical facilities. A member said despite the best efforts of the team to convince the relatives of the patients of the need for treatment, they refused to move out. ``We offered to take them to the Institute of Mental Health in Chennai or Madurai. But all of them refused. We even left referral letters with them, but none responded''.

Apparently the relatives of the patients believe firmly that the atmosphere, the chains and the Gods of Erwadi will effect the cure. They will move out of the area only if a `divine command' comes in their dreams.

Immediately after the visit, a psychiatrist was posted at the Erwadi PHC, to at least provide an opportunity for the patients to choose the scientific option. However, even this did not get a good response.

The team later made a proposal to the centre that it start a district mental health programme in Ramanathapuram district. The proposal has been cleared now and will be started `soon' according to official sources. With an outlay of Rs 1 crore, the programme will concentrate on training medical and non-medical officers, mental health care delivery systems(starting taluk level satellite clinics) and awareness- building measures.

There are many more who are undergoing treatment in mental asylums run by various private parties in the State, including at Goripalayam in Madurai, Courtallam in Tirunelveli and Gunaseelam in Tiruchi.

The conditions in majority of these asylums are deplorable, to say the least. No proper medical treatment is being given to patients as they purely depend on faith. Mostly untrained staff are employed to take care of the patients, and the treatment always includes physical torture, according to official sources.

Governor shocked

Expressing shock at the fire accident, the Governor Mr. C. Rangarajan, conveyed his condolences to the family members of the deceased. He wished the injured speedy recovery.

The Chief Minister, Ms.Jayalalithaa, expressing her condolence over the death of 25 persons, announced a payment of Rs 50,000 each to the families of the deceased, Rs 15,000 each to those who suffered serious burn injuries and Rs 6,000 each to those with simple burns.

The Labour Welfare Minister, Mr.A.Anwar Raja, rushed to Erwadi to coordinate relief measures and offer condolences to the bereaved families.

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