Do catch my letter
to the press on the above matter- published in MediaCorp’s TODAY newspaper
today, Thursday 27th Feb 2014.
I refer to the
report “Man gets eight years for fire that killed dad” (Feb 14).
The man is a
psychiatric patient suffering from schizophrenia, and it seems that there are
defects in our mental healthcare system that must be corrected to prevent the
recurrence of such tragedies.
First, the
police must be empowered to take mentally ill patients with violent tendencies
to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), on the request of carers who cannot
manage them.
I know the
man’s mother, and prior to his offence, she had approached the police to take
him to IMH. But she was told that, since he did not commit any crime then, they
could do nothing. It is a shame that IMH staff who care for violent patients
can be rescued by pressing the emergency button in the ward, but carers who
have the task of looking after loved ones with such conditions cannot protect
themselves even after they approach the authorities.
Second,
although IMH has a mobile crisis team, there is no ambulance service that can
take violent patients to the hospital quickly when a crisis occurs. Instead,
relatives must call for a private ambulance, which could cost up to S$400.
Third, halfway
houses must be built to allow such patients to seek temporary treatment and
support before they can return to the community.
Fourth, there
are new, atypical antipsychotic drugs that can be used to treat schizophrenia.
As these are costly, the Government can provide more subsidies for such
medication.
Above all,
carers need support, and if IMH cannot provide it, who can?
Raymond Anthony Fernando
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