Psychotic patients put into care

JAKARTA: The City Mental and Spiritual Development and Social Welfare Office puts each month 20 to 40 psychotic patients, who live on the streets, into four shelters in the city.

"We can't predict the increase in the number of patients. Even if there's an increase it must be very slight," said head of the agency Endang WD, on Tuesday.

Currently, there are 1,100 psychotic patients, picked up from the streets, at the four shelters, located in Cengkareng and Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, and Cipayung, East Jakarta.

The patients are accommodated at the shelters and assisted to communicate. As soon as they are able to say where they have come from, the shelters send them home or hand them over to the City Social Agency.

"Those unable to communicate remain at the shelters," Endang said. -- Antara