[ad_1]
Bulgaria intends to close 28 public establishments concerned with the care of mental and psychiatric patients by 2027, following a Council of Europe report containing strong criticism of the performance of these institutions , according to what the prosecutor announced Friday.
In a statement, the public prosecutor confirmed allegations submitted by the European Council, which is based in Strasbourg, of negative practices which include “staff violence, isolation (of patients), lack of hygiene, urine odors and the use of unauthorized drugs “.
In the document published Tuesday, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture denounced the lack of progress in the practices carried out by these institutions since their last mission in 2005, despite the slight improvement in material living conditions.
In some cases, patients were chained to their beds and beaten with sticks.
The European report also pointed out that “assistants treat words brutally” with patients, as they were subjected to “pushes, slaps, punches or kicks”.
In 2018, Bulgaria, a member of the EU, was criticized by the European Psychiatric Association, which condemned in particular the isolation of patients and the lack of activities in the institutions concerned with their care.
The Bulgarian government has since adopted a reform strategy which Parliament is currently considering.
In 2016, Bulgaria, under pressure from the European Union and non-governmental organizations, closed its last large centers for abandoned children with disabilities, which are facilities inherited from the communist era.
However, the problem persists, as several NGOs constantly report serious cases of ill-treatment in the new establishments, which lack qualified staff despite some improvement in general conditions.
[ad_2]
Source link
