Central Institute of Psychiatry. Telegraph picture

Ranchi, Dec. 14: If the mentally ill cannot stay with their families at home, their families can come to stay with them at the hospital.

This unique facility will be available soon at the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Kanke, which is all set to come up with a family ward for the mentally challenged patients under a Centre-sponsored scheme.

The move is expected to speed up the recovery of the patients by giving them the love and support of their near and dear ones. As such, the patients will be living with their families in the residential quarters on the hospital premises at moderate costs. The Centre has already sanctioned around Rs 100 crore for constructing the family wards.

“For other diseases, we only extend treatment to the patients. But in case of mentally challenged persons, the environment plays an important role in the recovery process. Thus the decision to set up a family ward. It is going to change the concept of psychiatric treatment in the country,” said CIP director S. Haque Nizamie.

Central Public Works Department will execute the project and in all likelihood, the family wards will be under the G+2 or G+3 structure. The authorities are hopeful that construction will start soon.

Regarding the expenses of living in the family cottage, Nizamie said they were yet to work out the modalities, but it would be moderately priced, as the institution is owned by the Central government.

Welcoming the Centre’s decision to set up family ward, Devabrath Kumar, a senior faculty member of CIP, said there was a huge demand for such facilities. He hoped that family members would act as co-therapists and help the mentally ill recover faster.

CIP is a Union government institution and the only of its kind in eastern India. The British established the hospital on May 17, 1918, and it was known as Ranchi European Lunatic Asylum then. There are 16 wards — nine for male patients and six for female. The total bed capacity at present is 643.

At present, there are six cottages on the CIP premises. Family members of recuperating patients are allowed to stay together for a brief period in these cottages. But, recently, two cottages have been converted into staff quarters and there is a long queue of patients waiting to book the other ones.

CIP operates on all days except second Saturdays, Sundays and all gazetted holidays between 9am and 5pm. Emergency services are round the clock on all days. Special clinics on neurology, sleep, chronic schizophrenia, skin, sex, movement disorder, epilepsy, memory, headache, de-addiction and child guidance function in CIP on weekdays.