Two more inmates of the Institute of Mental Health died over the weekend. A man, who was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital last week, died on Saturday night, and a woman died at the Institute on Sunday evening. Last week, two inmates had died on Monday and Thursday respectively.
The person who died at the GH had a history of seizure disorder and the woman is suspected to have suffered a myocardial infarction. She was diabetic and was under treatment for a psychological disorder. “These mortalities and morbidities are part and parcel of IMH,” said P. Poorna Chandrika, director.
Infections ruled out
The doctor ruled out infections as the reason for the death.
“All persons we have come with have physical comorbidities. They have extreme intellectual disabilities with seizure disorders. They also have psychological disorders with hypertension and diabetic complications. This is absolutely nothing related to cholera or gastroenteritis or fever,” she said.
“We have the highest number of patients with associated comorbidities. Even organisations [that attend to persons with mental ailments] routinely refer very severe persons with mental disabilities to us, and we have to admit them, as nowhere else can the patients be taken care of,” she said.
While the report on the death of the inmate admitted to the GH is expected on Monday, the woman inmate was found unconscious and had suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest, as she was on mood stabilisers and was a known diabetic.
