The Karnataka Health Department in collaboration with Aldamara Foundation launched Manovriksha, a mental health care initiative for homeless, mentally ill patients at CV Raman Hospital in October 2024. Photo Credit: The Hindu
Recently, social workers of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Fraser Town found a 65-year-old woman walking around during their field work. A homeless woman with symptoms of mental stress was admitted to the Emergency Care and Recovery Center (ECRC) of the state-run Sir CV Raman General Hospital.
For over a month, the woman was not only treated and counselled, but also rehabilitated and reunited with her family under Manoruksha, a mental health care initiative for the homeless, mentally ill.
He is one of more than 60 people who have been treated and rehabilitated at the hospital in the last two months. Most of them have been reunited with their families. In collaboration with the state health department, Aldamara Foundation, a city-based NGO dedicated to providing holistic mental health services to homeless people with severe mental illness, launched the initiative at CV Raman Hospital in October this year.
22 bed mental health ward
Rajesh KS, medical superintendent of the hospital, said that a 22-bed mental health ward has been established in the hospital. “While we have been providing medicine, food and other necessary consumables for the patients admitted here, Aldamra Foundation has mobilized human resources including a psychiatrist and three nurses, psychosocial social workers and health workers,” said the doctor.
“Besides, the foundation is also providing outreach services where social workers go and recover/rescue people from public places/streets. It is also helping them in their rehabilitation and imparting skills to integrate into the society after recovery,” said Dr. Rajesh. .
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said this public-private partnership is the first of its kind in Karnataka and more such centers will be started to respond to the needs of the vulnerable population.
“The idea is to provide comprehensive psychiatric care and holistic recovery services in addition to social care. This initiative is expected to set a benchmark for future collaboration between the government and other like-minded NGOs in Karnataka,” the minister said. Hindu.
Other features
More than 800 patients visit the Outpatient Department (OPD) of the 250-bed CV Raman Hospital every day. The facility has a 13-bed geriatric ward and a 12-bed palliative care ward. Dr. Rajesh said that a proposal to set up a satellite center of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research (SJICSR) like KC General Hospital has been submitted to the Health Department and is under consideration. He said, ‘We don’t have heart disease facilities in this part of the city.
Stating that another non-governmental organization Child Health Foundation has come forward to establish a super specialty hospital along with CV Raman Hospital, Dr. Rajesh said that this hospital will serve the residents of five assembly constituencies and around 17 slums.
‘We have submitted a proposal to the government and are waiting for approval,’ Dr Rajesh said. “Baal Health Foundation in association with Coal India has agreed to run the facility free of charge with their manpower. We need to provide them with 10,000 square feet of land in our hospital premises. Here Cardiology, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology and Urology and other related specialty units. Offer to start.
published – December 22, 2024 at 11:53 am IST