We visited Butabika today, a psychiatric hospital just outside of town that is for the more severely ill patients. This is what we knew of it from before. I had conjured up images of patients visibly talking to people who aren't there, or perhaps rocking back and forth in some corner somewhere. The way one would act as the character "mental patient #5" in a soap opera or something.
In some ways, this was even more extreme. Walking through the crowd of patients was mildly uncomfortable, as they all slowly started to approach us, and had to be held at bay by one of the guards who was using a prodding stick. Some patients had even undressed themselves and were hanging off the gates.
Of course, none of this reflects patient neglect in any way, but rather a combination of limited capacity and late-stage conditions. What's the alternative? Leaving them to themselves without any chance of help? After all, this was just the "outside" impression. In terms of treatment, they get what they need. They're here to get better - and if there's any chance at all that they will, this is where it will happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment