Assam’s mental health institute struggles to protect its patients from COVID-19

Established in 1876, the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH) is the only state-run mental asylum in Assam. With about 300 resident patients, and 6,000 registered patients, who regularly visit the Out Patient Department (OPD) of the premiere Institute, LGBRIMH has been facing a tough time given the nature of illness of its patients amid COVID-19 outbreak.

Tezpur (Assam): At a time when the country and the world is combating the coronavirus pandemic, a mental health institute in Assam is taking all necessary measures as it struggles to keep its patients from contracting the virus.

Established in 1876, the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH) is the only state-run mental asylum in Assam. With about 300 resident patients, and 6,000 registered patients, who regularly visit the Out Patient Department (OPD) of the premiere Institute, LGBRIMH has been facing a tough challenge given the nature of illness of its patients.

"Considering the nature of illness of our patients, it has become imperative for us to ensure proper sanitation and hygiene within the Institute amid the coronavirus outbreak," said Dr. Jyoti Hazarika, Superintendent of the Hospital.

Dr. Hazarika added, "We have segregated the patients in two groups - the old patients and new patients. Similarly, we have also arranged two entry gates for the new and old patients to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread from one to another. While we have used sanitisers and masks for the patients, we have also engaged a team to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation of the wards where the resident patients are lodged.”

The Institute has also arranged a system to ensure home delivery of medicines for the required patients so that number of patients' visiting the institute could be reduced. "We have also appealed to all the patients to visit the institute personally only in case of acute cases and that requires immediate attention," said Assistant Supervisor and psychologist, Dr. Hemanta Dutta.

He said that the Institute has also started prescribing medicine lasting for a longer duration. "If a patient was earlier given medicines for a period lasting 15 days to one month, we have now started giving them medicines for a little longer to limit their visits so to the Institute," Dr. Dutta said.

"We have also started helplines for telemedicine and counselling so that patients can avail these services while sitting at homes," he said.