Mental Health Programme

British Ambassador Dr. Carolyn Browne visits our music therapy class.

CARD has worked in the psychiatric hospital in Genja, Azerbaijan, for many years. Until September 2008 CARD provided flour and/or bread on a daily basis to supplement the meal provision for all the 150 patients living there and supplementary feeding twice a week to the 36 weakest patients. From September 2008 CARD continues to provide a high calorific meal twice weekly to the 36 weakest patients.

Our therapy workers run therapy classes in art, needle work, music, chess, gardening and aerobics. They provide much needed stimulation for these patients who would otherwise be confined to their wards all day long. We have rest areas with a television, library and two gardens to enjoy. Our therapy classes enable patients to build their self-esteem as they develop new skills.

During 2005/6 we fully renovated two of the four wards in the hospital. These were in a very bad state, but now have heating for the first time in 15 years, new windows, bathrooms, roof, décor and a water supply. In 2006/7 a new roof was provided to the remaining two wards and in 2007/8 these 2 wards were fitted with new uPVC windows to keep patients warm and dry and in 2008 4 rooms in the womens ward were redecorated.

Because mental health care is still a developing area in Azerbaijan, families and medical professionals often do not understand patients’ ongoing needs or when they can be returned home. Patients may remain at the hospital for many years because families cannot afford to collect them or may be afraid of having them back. We identify those patients who could be returned home and liaise with their families. Since working at the hospital we have returned home over 70 patients and reunited them with their families. Without this help these patients would still needlessly be in this institution.

The Ganja Psychiatric Hospital has approximately 150 patients. CARD has worked to dramatically improve the quality of life there. The building housing two wards, a women’s ward with 50 female patients and a men’s ward with 35 men, still need major repairs, with limited heating life in the ward is very unpleasant in winter time.

We would like to finish the rennovation work to these remaining two wards - with a new central heating system, new bathrooms and toilets in the next year so that these patients can have better living conditions.