Public Defender Visits Surami Mental Health Center
On November 28, 2024, Public Defender Levan Ioseliani and Deputy Public Defender Irine Chikhladze visited the Eastern Georgia Mental Health Center LLC located in Surami, inspected the facility's infrastructure, and spoke with beneficiaries and medical staff.
It was revealed that the facility, designed for 89 beneficiaries, is overcrowded; severe sanitary and hygienic conditions put beneficiaries in degrading conditions. In rainy weather, especially in winter, there is a problem of going out into the fresh air, which is further exacerbated by the lack of seasonal clothing. There is no separate smoking area and the smell of tobacco permeates the entire building.
It is worth noting that patients do not have information about the type of treatment they receive in the institution. The Public Defender has also been informed about cases of lengthy stays in the hospital.
The Public Defender constantly monitors psychiatric inpatient facilities and other closed institutions operating in Georgia and provides detailed information on their condition in special and annual reports.