HYDERABAD: Over the last five days, city-based Institute of Mental Health at Erragadda has been witnessing an unprecedented situation, unusual for mental hospitals. Patients with severe withdrawal symptoms due to unavailability of adulterated toddy, from across the state, are arriving in large numbers here.
The de-addiction centre with a capacity of 20 beds has become inadequate to tackle the situation forcing the authorities to make use of the open ward, emergency ward and the acute psychiatric care unit.
Following the crackdown on illegal distillation of liquor and adulteration of toddy, as many as two dozen people have died of withdrawal symptoms in the last fortnight. While hundreds have sought medical help, those flocking to to Erragada mental hospital is increasing with each passing day.
The information available with the hospital reveals that as many as 141 patients landed up at the hospital as outpatients and 52 patients are currently being treated at the hospital since September 21.
Authorities point out that the footfall relating to de-addiction on any average day is not more than three to four cases. Of all the admitted patients, about 20 were reported on Friday alone. Among the outpatients, 55 of the total 141 visited the hospital on Thursday and Friday. The admitted patients age anywhere between 22 and 73, while nine of them are woman patients whose age average around 40s.
The admitted patients include 44 cases from Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medak districts. This apart, patients have arrived from Mahbubnagar, Khammam and Nizamabad, West and East Godavari districts too. In the absence of enough beds at the de-addiction centre, they are lodged with regular mentally unsound patients.
“About 20 patients are delirious in nature and we have admitted only moderate to severe cases based on the symptoms. The treatment for outpatients and inpatients are the same, only the dosage differs depending on the condition,” said Dr J Mayurnath Reddy, professor of Psychiatry and in-charge superintendent of the hospital.