Rights body says centre for disabled lacks basic services
Some of the issues listed in this year's report have been advised consistently by HRCM to state authorities to be resolved since 2013.
By
Shahudha Mohamed
Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) has said that basic services that should be provided in a governmental facility that houses people suffering from mental illness or poses a threat to themselves and others, are not available at the facility for people with special needs in K. Guraidhoo.
An HRCM team visited the centre in March for a monitoring mission. The report prepared by HRCM on the findings of the visit was made public in September.
Noting that basic services atypical to such centres were not provided in Guraidhoo, the report jotted:
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Bed, shower and wardrobe facilities were inadequate
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No individual care plans, psychiatric services or consultations with doctors in other fields of medicine for various ailments
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There are not enough caregivers to take care of the patients
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Existing caregivers have no experience or training in handling such cases
"Most of the points made in this report have already been noted repetitively in previous reports submitted by HRCM to the relevant authorities, calling to improve the conditions and facilities there," the report read.
The report also listed some measures that can be taken by the Gender Ministry to improve the current situation:
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Arrange for supervisors to visit the wards to monitor the work of caregivers, patients, in-house facilities and maintain records of everything
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Ensure the care givers are continuously trained and refreshed with the Anti-Torture Act, and maintain records of these trainings and attendees
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Establish a system that can prevent inter-patient sexual harassment and abuse, and maintain records of everything that is entered to such a system
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Install CCTV cameras within patient wards to regularly monitor the patients
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Obtaining essential medical equipment to provide adequate health care
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Arrangements should be made with hospitals that provide specialist consultation services so that patients will have prompt medical responses and healthcare
Some of the issues listed above have been advised by HRCM to state authorities to be resolved since 2013.
About 81% of the in-house patients at the special needs home in Guraidhoo are undergoing mental health treatment. HRCM noted that the lack of access to proper psychiatric treatment for such individuals and the lack of basic services, expose these patients to further risk, as well as the caregivers working there.
STO stated that there are difficulties in obtaining essential medicines for patients undergoing treatment at the centre, and that there have been delays in obtaining medicines for mental health patients. Additionally:
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Most of the people at the centre are required to use syringes and it is difficult to get syringes
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The centre has completely run out of emergency medicines
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Caregivers say that they are monitoring the condition of patients in cases when the medicines are unavailable or delayed
The gender ministry had said in March that two specialist doctors will be brought to the Maldives in June for psychological treatment of the people in the Guraidhoo facility.
