Tackling schizophrenia

World Schizophrenia Awareness Week took place from May 24. Our Manasgram project has resolved to reach every schizophrenia patient in our Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) district with treatment.

Established five years in Islak, support and treatment is provided to homeless schizophrenic patients roaming on the streets in Ahilyanagar, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Malegaon and Beed districts. Already, around 600 male and female patients have been provided residential treatment and reunited with their own families in places as far away as India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Manasgram aims to reach about one million citizens through street plays, awareness lectures, distribution of pamphlets, social media and other media.

Over the week events included a gathering of former patients who have recovered with our mental health treatment and are living a dignified life, a seminar on the role of the family in the treatment of the patient and a painting exhibition.

2 years of free treatment

After the patient who has completely recovered is sent home, free medicines are sent to the poor and needy patients for the next two years. Till date, 1550 patients have been provided home delivery medicine service. Also, the health of the patients is checked twice a month. Counselling and help are provided through mobile phones from time to time and on demand.

We aim to complete the first phase of the construction of our Sneh Manoyatri project by August 15. After that, residential treatment will be given to 200 mental patients suffering from schizophrenia at a time, said Honorary Director Dr. Neeraj Karandikar.

Patients in the Manasgram project participate in productive work such as vegetable production, dairy production, etc. A group home will be built next year for patients who have recovered after treatment but are not accepted by their families.