In a move aimed at the care, protection, and well-being of discharged patients, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and the Social Justice department have partnered with Gandhi Bhavan, Pathanapuram, to rehabilitate 15 elderly patients from Ward 9 of General Hospital and 10 destitute patients from Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
At a programme on Thursday to mark the rehabilitation of discharged patients who had nowhere to go or had been abandoned by their families, Minister for Social Justice R. Bindu lauded the initiative, and emphasised the government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all citizens, particularly those requiring special attention. In case relatives demonstrated reluctance in fulfilling their responsibilities, appropriate measures such as referring the cases to the maintenance tribunals set up under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act should be initiated.
The Minister reiterated follow-up action for care and protection of the elderly. Strict legal action would be taken against those who usurped property and then abandoned their kin, she said.
S. Shamnad, DLSA secretary and Sub-judge, underscored the significance of familial support in the lives of the elderly. They should receive proper care, protection, and attention within their homes, ideally from their relatives. However, there were instances of relatives being reluctant to provide such care to the elderly. In such cases, alternative arrangements should be made, he said.
The 25 patients have been transferred to an annexe of Gandhi Bhavan at Valakom. By partnering with Gandhi Bhavan, the DLSA has taken a step forward in ensuring seamless transition of patients deemed fit for discharge from the hospital setting to a nurturing environment, Mr. Shamnad said in a statement.
Ward 9 at General Hospital, with a designed capacity of 45, was accommodating 97 patients. Recognising the gravity of the situation, hospital superintendent Preethi James reached out to Mr. Shamnad, following which the DLSA convened a meeting of key stakeholders, paving the way for collaborative effort to address the problem.
An important step by the DLSA was registration of pre-litigation cases. An adalat was conducted for direct engagement with the relatives of the patients. Following this, children and relatives of 14 patients took them back.
However, as admissions continued to rise, the need for a comprehensive solution was felt. The transfer of the patients to Valakom marked a significant step in realising the commitment of the stakeholders to addressing the situation, Mr. Shamnad said.
Social Justice Director Chetan Kumar Meena, Orphanage Control Board member and Gandhi Bhavan secretary Punalur Somarajan, Dr. Preethi James, and resident medical officer of Government Medical College Hospital Mohan Roy attended the function.
