Bhubaneswar: Nuapada resident Prem Singh was languishing at the Government Hospital for Mental Care in Vishakapatnam, having been away from his family for nearly five years.

On Tuesday, Singh was reunited with members of his family, thanks to the efforts of the Family News Service of the Indian Red Cross, Odisha State Branch.

Like Singh, Somnath Dash of Khurda, who was traced to LGB Regional Mental Care Hospital in Tezpur, was also reunited with his family.

With the return of Dash and Singh, the Red Cross has united five such persons with their families in recent months.

Earlier, the Family News Service had rescued Kalyani Churia, Jharana Majhi and Sanjukta Behera from the Vishakapatnam mental health institute when Indian Red Cross members got a tip-off about persons from the state undergoing treatment at the facility and took the initiative to unite them with their family members.

"We continue our efforts to trace such persons who have lost their mental health and fled their homes years back. In most such cases, the family members lose hope of a reunion with them, but we are here to reunite them," said Indian Red Cross joint secretary Kalpana Dash.

"We traced Singh when we went to bring Majhi and Behera last month. We talked to the professionals there and got to know that his mental condition was improving and that he wanted to return to his family. So, we contacted his family and reunited him with them," she said.

Singh's two daughters, his wife and his mother came to take him to home during the reunion event on Tuesday.

Similarly, Dash's father and mother were present to greet their son and take him home.

Sources said the Red Cross planned to intensify the drive further and return more such people with their families.

"This is a noble initiative. Everyone should collaborate with the Red Cross and help them in their initiative," said social worker Alok Kar.