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Georgian Government against Human Beings

October 27, 2004

Georgian Government against Human Beings

The Georgian government does not fulfill its obligation to provide free care for mentally disabled people. People being in the institution for mentally disabled persons are devoid of any medical or social assistance and they have to live in unbearable and intolerable conditions, which lead to further deterioration of their health. Though the state is obliged to provide for free treatment, it does not accomplish these obligations. The 6 GEL assigned by the government to mental health insitution per patient is barely enough for isolating them in inhuman conditions. The public too, being uniformed, indiffeent and shameful, shows a negative attitude towards the problems of mentally deisabled.This only contributes to them being aloof and isolated from the rest of society.

 

Mentally disabled people represent one of the most unprotected strata of the public in Georgia. Terrible sanitary-hygienic conditions of asylums, a lack of necessary medical supplies, a negative attitude from the public and various other problems encountered by lunatics are a permanent and systematic feature of their everyday life. The small amounts of money assigned by the government for mental hospitals cannot even meet the minimum requirements of psychiatric patients so that they are forced to live in intolerable, unbearable and humiliating conditions. Notwithstanding that the state must shoulder mental treatment of these people; it does not fulfill its obligations and the majority of these persons do not receive medical or social assistance. The 6 GEL assigned by the ministry of health per patient are not only intended to cover the provision of medicaments and meals but also to pay for the wages of medical staff as well as communal taxes.

 

In 2002 the Social-Economic Council scrutinized the situation in mental hospitals of Georgia under the auspices of the UN. The UN later summarized the findings as regards the living conditions of people with mental problems in georgia as extremely trying. What is more, the persisting stigmata, which surrounds them in the eyes of the public, is much more distinct and the general care and treatment conditions significantly lower in comparison to international standards.

 

Patients’ rights are often violated; most notably the interests of mentally disabled people are often infringed upon when a trustee or relative of the patient manages the patient’s property in such a way as to spend it for private desires without the patient’s permission.

 

Therefore, some of the patients are forced to go on living in hospitals even after their rehabilitation, which should have paved a return to average life. Negative stereotypes created by the public restrict their rights. An attitude that is mst obviously reflected by the court’s primary perspecetive, which is more likely to defend the intercessor rather than the patient, whose rights are at stake.

 

“Unfortunately, the dominant public opinion regards these people as unconscious of their own activities, and hence guilty by default of their desease. However, this vision often does not conform to reality. There are cases, when a person is seriously ill, requires treatment and isn’t conscious of his actions, but after overcoming such state, the constitution entitles him/her with rights equal to all other citizens. This is envisaged by the constitution itself in the law regarding psychiatric assistance, which is often ignored. The Widely-spread opinion of the public is that these people are incurable and cannot or must not have a right to live and make decisions independently; they require stable guardianship, but in most cases this is far from reality. According to international statistics only 20% of all patients need constant supervision. It is true that the state of nearly 40% of patients is considered borderline and may deteriorate  to require systematic supervision. The remaining 40%, however, are full-fledged members of society and can perfectly realize his/her own possibilities, talent and abilities” – psychiatrist Nana Zavradashvili told us in an interview.

 

The chain of events, which was releashed in Georgia 12-13 years ago with the civil war resulted in a social-economic and political crisis that found its expression in social tension, chaos and massive depression among the public. Most parts of soiety were unprepared for the isolation from the Soviet Union and today are still struggling to get accustomed to the immense changes. The socio- economic hardship initiated by the country’s transformation from centralized state government to a market economy, has left large parts of society in a state of psychological anxiety.

 

According to information provided by Manana Sharashidze, Executive Director of the NGO - “Psycho-social Rehabilitation Centre,” today 1045 patients are in psychiatric hospitals of Georgia. Expert estimations show that there are 100 000 mentally disabled people in Georgia, only 80 000 of which are officially registered. From this number 1045 patients have found refuge in mental hospitals, 30 000 receive medical aid in psycho-neurological dispensaries, which foresees one free consultation a month and the minimum quantity of medicine. The rest of all registered patients is either in treatment with private doctors or exercises self-treatment. The most part, however, is left without any treatment at all.  

 

 

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