Government Mental Health Centre (GMHC), Thrissur (14th April, 2009) The main aim of skill training through the OT units was to improve the employability and productivity of the inmates and paving the way for a decent livelihood after their discharge from the hospital. GMHC, Thrissur had separate occupational therapy units for both male and female inmates. The instructional lessons had been given by qualified and experienced instructors on a variety of trades/skills to about 30 to 40 male and female patients. The skills in which training was imparted included soap & detergent making, candle making, flower pot making, book binding, paper cover making. The end products produced in both the units were toilet soap, detergent powder, note book, registers, artificial flowers, candles. The volunteers of Christian Missionary Centre, a local NGO nearby were imparting free training to the inmates in candle and cover making. Another private agency ‘Creative expressions’ was providing free training to inmates in flower making, handicrafts and art works. They also assisted in marketing the products. The hospital also extended rehabilitation services like cultivation of tapioca, Jam, plantain, turmeric etc. A daily remuneration of Rs. 20 was paid to each patient for their involvement in the OT units. The raw materials used in OT units were procured by Hospital development society and Society for occupational Therapy – Rehabilitation. The products produced in the OT unit were disposed of through a retail shop run by the patient hospital was purchasing soap and detergent used in mechanized laundry and patients from the OT units. The price of the products produced in OT units was fixed by occupational society on no profit basis. Government Mental Health Centre (GMHC), Kozhikode (12th to 15th April, 2009) The occupational rehabilitation unit had been functioning in GMHC Kozhikode since its inception. The male OT unit had been functioning under the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (IMHANS) another Govt. mental health institute situated inside the same campus. The total number of male inmates engaged in OT activities was around 75 and OT unit had primarily been involved in note book making (of various sizes), book binding, offset printing, offset plate making, medicine cover making, cleaning and winnowing of grains, lamination work, cartoon making. The basic raw material (paper) for these activities had been obtained from Hindustan Paper Mills. Workers were getting a percentage of sale proceeds depending on the quality of work and the output related remuneration might go up to Rs. 220 per day. Despite high percentage of humidity and too much congestion male inmates were soulfully engaged in these avocations. Most of the products had been rated as good in terms of their standardization and quality control. There was no exclusive occupational therapy unit for female patients and all occupational therapy activities were ward based. The 75 female inmates were involved in medicine cover making, book binding, tailoring, and spinning. The OT Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 97

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