Prema Re-United with her Family

The World Health Organization estimates that the burden of mental health problems in India is 2443 disability-adjusted life years per 100,000 population; the age-adjusted suicide rate per 100,000 population is 21.1. The economic loss due to mental health conditions, between 2012-2030, is estimated at USD 1.03 trillion.

The following tragic incidents involving Prema, a fifty-year-old woman living with her husband and two sons in district Azamgarh, of the state Uttar Pradesh are evidence of the severe conditions that mentally ill patients have to go through in rural areas. Prema, who is suffering from psychiatric issues, went missing one morning from her home, as do countless other mentally ill people who are left unchecked. She was found roaming around Vijay Mandir, district Alwar, of the state Rajasthan, 782 kilometers away from her home in a deranged state.

Fortunately, a good samaritan took care of her and brought her to the NGO, and thus, her treatment began. After a prolonged psychiatric treatment of 6 months, she started recovering her memories. She had wandered away from home and had got on a train which took her to Alwar, Rajasthan. Finally, when she was able to provide us with details regarding her home and family members, our hardworking social workers contacted the authorities and arranged the reunion of Prema with her family. On 14th February 2020, her family arrived to take her home. They were thoroughly educated on her mental condition by our social workers, who also arranged her medicines.

We continue to check up on Prema in regular intervals, and could not be more glad to see her settling down into routine life, surrounded by her loved ones.