The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting held on Friday afternoon, wherein, in the first phase, 40 patients would be shifted, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said.
“There were frequent complaints about scarcity of beds in IPHB. We realized that there are several patients who have recovered but their family members have not taken them back. We are also not able to trace their family members,” Parsekar told media persons.
“Government cannot leave such patients. We will continue to take the responsibility to look after them,” he added.
Parsekar, who is the former Health Minister, said that doctors have identified 120 such patients who have been living at the IPHB even five years after they recovered. “In the first phase we are shifting 40 such recovered patients to the Chimbel asylum. And then we will shift the rest,” he said. Cabinet has given its nod for creation of new posts in the asylum, which include staff nurse, attendant, cook, servant and sweeper.
The Chief Minister said that the authorities have been trying to track the residential address of these recovered patients, but in several cases it is difficult to get these. Though there was no breakup available with the government, Parsekar said many of these patients are from neighbouring states who were admitted owing to their psychological issues.
