SUB: CARE OF DESTITUTE, MENTALLY CHALLENGED WOMAN IN VADODARA

Excerpts of an open letter to the Collector, Vadodara, from some groups there.

Subject:  Care of Destitute, Mentally Challenged Women in the District

This is to bring to your notice our struggles to access care for a destitute, mentally challenged woman in Vadodara City.

On May 20, 2011 we were approached by a compassionate citizen to look into the situation of this ‘Unknown Woman’ sitting on Old Padra Road (Rajvee Tower junction) since several weeks.  That day she was observed by this citizen without any lower garments and with what seemed to  her, like a massive growth in her genital area.  Because her own humanitarian sensibilities were extremely disturbed, she approached us.

That started the endless rounds for our team.  From May 20, our team approached/visited the following institutions:

1. A home for such destitute women – we were told that before they could accept such women, they needed a Gynaec certificate and a Psychiatric Certificate.
2. OP Road Police Station
3. Mental Hospital, Kareli Baug
4. Gynaec. Dept., SSG Hospital
5. Psychaitry Dept., SSG Hospital
6. Emergency Dept., SSG Hospital
7. Magistrate’s Office at Nyay Mandir.

At almost every point, we encountered  a tendency to not accept responsibility and to shunt the woman out of the institution. The Mental Hospital/Psychiatry dept asserted that her Gynaec condition had to be treated first. The Gynaec. Dept stated that her third degree uterine proplapse was not an emergency and that her mental treatment had to be started first. The woman and our team were like ping pong balls.

Finally at 5 am morning, after a whole day and whole night effort,  on May 25, 2011, after shunting between the Magistrate’s office (twice), the Mental Hospital, (thrice), The Emergency Dept. (twice) and the Gynaec. Dept. (twice), we managed to get her transferred to the Psychiatry Dept.,  after admission and  referral from the Mental Hospital at 3.30 am. Our team and the poor disturbed woman had been on the road since 11 am on May 24. She is now admitted in Ward 14 under Psychiatric care.

Since yesterday, May 26, the Mental Hospital is threatening to withdraw the attendants that they had provided for the woman. The Psychiatry Dept. and the Gynaec. Dept.  in SSG Hospital will not keep patients without attendants.

Our expectation from you is that you direct the Mental hospital, as she is formally admitted there, to provide all care including attendants, till her treatment is complete.

This is the case of one woman. There are other women that our team has identified on Old Padra Road and near Khande Rao Market.

Our questions are as follows:

1. Who’s responsibility is it to provide care for such women? Which institution’s? Care to be specified as compassionate competent care that respects the dignity and safety of such women.
2. How can different departments shunt such women from their doorstep? Who will ensure that immediate care is provided until longer term solutions are arranged?
3. Does the SSG Hospital have no provision for  single destitute  women who need treatment, if they are without an attendant?
4. Can your office ensure a systematic identification of such women without infringing on their human rights and a system of care for them?

We are willing to work with you on this issue.