Archipelago of the Forgotten - Social Care Homes for People with Mental Disorders in BulgariaA BHC report on the situation of mentally disabled people placed in state institutions in Bulgaria People with mental disabilities in Bulgarian social care homes are still living in an inhuman environment, deprived of medical care and secluded from the rest of the world. Far from the eyes of society, forgotten by their families and friends, they die in these institutions which so far do not have any alternative. This is the main conclusion of the three-year monitoring of the social care homes for people with developmental disabilities, mental illness and dementia. Here are some findings from the report: Only 10 out of 52 homes are located in towns - the rest are isolated in small, mountain or near-the-border villages. In the homes located in Podgumer, Oborishte, Lozevo and Rusokastro people are still being secluded in cells and behind metal bars, although the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy explicitly prohibited that practice in 2003. Almost 11 % of all residents placed in all 52 homes in the country for 2003 died. Two years after the EU accession chapter on "Social policy and employment" was closed the government is still unable to effectively decide on social policy regarding people with mental disabilities. Around 4,500 people are living in all 52 homes in Bulgaria and they are object to serious violations of fundamental human rights. These people live in material conditions worse that the ones in Bulgarian prisons and pay to receive these social services with their pensions. The report summaries the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee about the situation in the social care homes for people with mental disabilities. The document enclosed here is a resume of the whole report, which is available only in Bulgarian.
The Archipelago of the Forgotten: Social Care Homes for People with Mental Disorders in Bulgaria Annex 1: Persons placed in social care homes for adults with mental disorders Annex 2: Profile of people placed in social care homes for people with mental disorders in Bulgaria |
