Discussion

On September 11, 2008, discussion on the results of human rights monitoring held in Lori region Mental Health Facility took place in the office of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor.

The representatives from Lori region Mental Health Facility, RA Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs, Department of healthcare and social security of Lori regional administration, NGO representatives and employees of HCA Vanadzor participated in the discussion.
  The coordinator of HCA Vanadzor presented the problems revealed during the monitoring. The employees of the Lori region Mental Health Facility and Department of healthcare of Lori regional administration gave explanations and clarifications on the issues discussed. As a result of the discussion, the participants reformulated the problems on which necessary recommendations will be made during the next discussions.
  During the discussion it became clear that:
  • The funding from the state budget isn’t enough to get necessary hygienic articles, clothes, quality and different types of food, necessary property for the rooms and quality and effective medicine for the persons with mental illnesses.
  • The conditions of the building of the mental health facility don’t allow to have separate entertainment room, canteen and visiting room.
  • The are not as many nurses’ assistants to provide care for the persons with mental illnesses and for organizing their walk.
  • The state does not fund the trainings for the employees of the mental health facility
  • The employees’ salaries are lower as compared to the amount of work they are doing
  The director of the mental health facility also made some comments about the attitude of the employees towards people with mental illnesses. During the monitoring held in this institution, the patients mentioned that calming and constraining means lasted 24 hours.
  The director said that really they used these means for some people who are very difficult to deal with, and in such cases they are tied with bed sheets, in order to avoid movements, but this lasts maximum an hour. The affect of modern medicine is obvious after 10 minutes and the patients become quiet.
  G. Kalantaryan, the director, also explained that people with mental illnesses do not feel the time and the time they mention is likely to be unreal.
  During the discussion, the participants defined the issues for which they have to make recommendations during the next discussion.