Report abuse of mental patients, urges MEC

Hope Papo at a media briefing. Image:Provincial Health Department

"In September last year, I appointed new members on the MHRB and their task is to ensure that the care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons who are mentally ill conform to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights," said Papo.

"Members of the board, include a legal expert, mental health care practitioners and community representatives. They visit over 100 institutions, psychiatric hospitals and mental health NGOs, regularly," he said.

The aim of these visits is to monitor whether these institutions comply with the Mental Health Care Act No 17 of 2002, which aims at ensuring that the rights of mental patients are known and protected.

"During these site visits, patients are educated on their rights, including being treated with respect, human dignity and privacy, not to be unfairly discriminated against, not to be exploited and abused," Papo said, adding that mental health practitioners are sensitised on how to handle mental health patients.

"The board represents patients who feel that they are being unfairly treated in any institution and make sure that it is only those patients who should be in an institution that are admitted. Those who can be treated as out-patients are not forced to be in an institution," he said.

Right to proper care

He pointed out that patients have the right appeal to the Mental Health Review Board with regard to their care, treatment and rehabilitation.

"Working with NGOs and other relevant stakeholders, the board members participate in activities that ensure that once discharged from a mental health institution, patients are integrated back into communities. There are support groups to help them to deal with discrimination," he added.

Another critical function of the board is to alert the department on areas that need improvement to ensure quality service delivery.

Papo said that in addition to the work of the Mental Health Board, the department's health promoters visit schools, health facilities and communities to create awareness on mental disorders and educate people about how to live a fulfilling life when suffering from a mental illness.

Papo appealed to communities to support people with mental illnesses and emphasised the importance of helping those whose illness was a result of drug or substance abuse.

"They need support to achieve treatment compliance. They also need to be encouraged to continue treatment through follow-up visits at local clinics or SANCA once they are discharged from institutions. Of great concern to us are the multiple admissions of mentally ill patients. In most cases this is the result of a lack of support at home and from communities," he said.

October, is mental health awareness month and the department officials, with the help of the board are focusing on families living with mentally ill persons; encouraging users of mental health facilities to comply with their treatment and focus on rehabilitation.