On May 2, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of
Armenia Ms. Anahit Manasyan visited the Sevan Mental Health Center
During the visit, the status of the implementation of the
Defender's recommendation for resolving the issues previously raised by the
National Preventive Mechanism in the mentioned institution was examined,
private interviews were held with the beneficiaries, and the Defender got
acquainted with the status of the realization of the their rights on site.
The building conditions, the services provided by the
institution, issues related to application of restraint measure on patients,
the menu, the provision of an adapted and accessible environment, the
engagement status of patients, issues related to personal hygiene, the working
conditions of the organization's employees, and other related issues were
examined.
It should be noted that some of the problems recorded
during the previous visit have been positively resolved, in particular, a
restraint room has been separated in one of the women's departments, ramps have
been installed at the entrances of some departments (although accessibility
issues still persist), partitions have been installed in the restrooms — though
not yet equipped with doors — and the bathroom of the institution has also been
equipped with a partition.
In this context, the Defender emphasizes the state's
commitment to solving the problems in psychiatric institutions and ensuring
proper conditions. At the same time, problems continue to exist regarding the
building conditions of the institution, ensuring accessibility and other
issues. It is also very important to ensure decent working conditions and
social guarantees for the staff of psychiatric institutions, including the
continuous improvement of salaries.
It should be noted that a number of the problems recorded
are of a systemic nature and are presented in the 2024 Annual Report of the
National Preventive Mechanism of the Human Rights Defender, along with
recommendations for resolutions.
Հայերեն
