Some mental health patients remain at St Giles Hospital for more than 20 years because their families refuse to take them home.
Acting Superintendent Dr Sheetal Singh said stigma and lack of family support remained major challenges in recovery.
“There are families who would not want them,” she said.
“They will abandon them. We have a lot of cases in the hospital that are here for more than 20 years because the family has not wanted to do anything with them.”
She shared the example of one patient whose community had formally written to the hospital rejecting him.
“The family and the community, have written to us that they don’t want anything to do with him.”
Dr Singh said the patient had previously been aggressive and damaged property while unwell but had since recovered.
“Now he’s extremely well. He’s going around, he’s cleaning the compound this morning, knowing that the assistant (health) minister (Penioni Ravunawa) is coming.”
She said relapse was common when families failed to supervise medication and basic routines.
“If the family is not ensuring they take their medications, they have good sleep hygiene, they have good appetite, then that person will come for frequent admissions.”
Dr Singh stressed that under the Mental Health Act 2010, patients should be treated in the least restrictive environment possible.
“We don’t admit as far as possible. We need to make sure that they are taken care of by the family.”
She said community support remained critical to long-term recovery.
