‘One of
‘the best
‘hospitals
‘in the
‘world

| By L. Formoso

T HAVANA
j = he Psychiatric Hospital of Havana, re-
| SiN as one of the best of its type in the
rid, reflects the social changes that have

| €n place in the country in the field of men-

health. A visitor receives the impression
| ese anew community for workers, simi-
Bee the many that have been built all over
island.

{ seat hospital consists of 30 modern one-
e Ty buildings, most of them with large
iF sain windows. These dormitories and re-
Ines halls house more than 3000 pa-
saan Ninety percent of the patients are
ee ones, most of them with schizo-
| Saad pathologies, illnesses that are al-
I ot always chronic. These patients have 40
H an d oeupped rehabilitation rooms, inside
Outside the hospital, that give them
modern psychiatric attention. The rest of the
8 ents are not chronically ill, but suffer
om either mental retardation or acute
Ihesses,
he do Bernabe Ordaz, director of the
foe : ;
rehab gave a detailed explanation of the
<legates who attended the ninth Latin
aecen Psychiatry Congress held in
the ana in February. The delegates toured
hospital which comprises some 140
shack, S$ and has a varied number of work-
PS: carpentry, handcrafts, painting,
amics, etc., in addition to a poultry farm
‘flower gardens.
tion Sitors were impressed by the organiza-
whe and pleasant atmosphere of the hospital
is cae the patient, as Dr. Ordaz said, feels he
normal member of society.
A hospital is a staunch supporter of oc-
Pational therapy as the most important

tation program to the more than 600:

aspect in the rehabilitation of the mentally
ill. The first step was to create a social at-
mosphere as near to normal as possible. The
work was not easy, for the hospital had to be
virtually rebuilt after the triumph of the Re-
volution in 1959.

The old Hospital for the Demented never
practiced occupational therapy before 1959
and patients had no adequate medical
treatment. The ‘‘most dangerous’’ patients
were locked up naked in cells, generally with
their hands and feet bound. They were vic-
tims of starvation and neglect.

Some six thousand patients lived under
this prison system in the old hospital which
then had bars and high walls. There were
only. two.thousand. beds or. cots, generally
without mattresses and sheets. The infernal
scenes which took place there may now be
seen in a photo exhibit in the hospital itself.

Dr. Ordaz told the visitors that the first
task of the revolution was to humanize and
reorganize the center. A department of oc-
cupational therapy was created and later a
number of different sections were installed.
Most of the patients in the Psychiatric Hospi-
tal suffer from psychosis, marked by a lack
of contact with reality. This type of patient
frequently has hallucinations and deliriums,
but is not aware of his illness and frequently
regards himself as anormal person.

Among the psychoses there is schizo-
phrenia. The patient’s personality disinteg-
rates, he becomes apathetic, performs
poorly and cannot live according to the social
norms of everyday life. Occupational
therapy combined with psychotherapy and
drugs have given magnificent results in this
type of patient whose symptoms are re-

cor]

duced. Occupational therapy includes work
therapy, physical education, sports and re-
creational activities.

Every chronically ill patient engages in
these activities regularly. The hospital has
work shops and salons suited for each type of
activity, as well as a modern sports stadium,
a theatre and other installations. Work is
part of the everyday life of the patient and,
although it is therapeutic, the patient is paid
a salary. Where necessary, the patient is
treated by cardiologists, ophthalmologists
and dentists, who are on the permanent hos-
pital staff.

The hospital has 64 psychiatrists, inaddi-
tion to specialists in child psychiatry,
psychologists and behavior consultants,
nurses, psychometrists, and technicians in
work therapy: A department was recently
created to follow up on patients after their
release from the hospital and, according to
studies made thus far, this practice has con-
siderably decreased the number of patients
with relapses. Dr. Ordaz said that it has been
scientifically demonstrated that work is the
most efficient medicine for persons with
chronic mental illnesses. “‘When the patient
works he comes into contact with reality and
his work prevents him from withdrawing
into his world of fantasy. Work also serves to
divert the patient’s attention away from his
symptoms. It improves his physical condi-
tion and helps to channel his aggressivity
and hostility to socially useful and accepta-
ble activities. The patient recognizes in him-
self and in others the eapacities and skills of
normal human beings and his work in a
group favors social relations.”

Dr. Ordaz recalled that in 1973 the hospi-
tal had a general staff of 1076 workers, but
that number is much smaller today because
many of the patients now help out. To their
surprise, visitors discovered that more than
70 % of the hospital’s work force consists of
patients.

The painting and ceramics exhibits of the
patients’ art work have been shown in many
parts of the country and have received the
praise of experts and even national prizes.

Brigades of cane-cutters made up of pa-
tients have won a number of trophies and
banners and the hospital also has baseball
and volleyball teams made up of patients.
Ordaz showed the visitors the special room
where the trophies and prizes are kept. The
hospital today has an annual budget of ap-
proximately $6 million. In 1976 the value of
the articles produced by the patients inside
and outside the hospital amounted to 1800
thousand pesos (a little more than $2 mill-
ion). This figure, of course, includes the
salaries paid to the patients for their work.

On weekends the patients may see plays
and musical reviews which they themselves
put on with the aid of the work therapists.
There is also a movie hall. The directors of
the hospital take great pains to give the pa-
tients normal living conditions. Psychia-
trists maintain a low profile, with patients
urged to establish close relations with the
work therapists. It is no wonder that visiting
psychiatrists and health experts who have
seen the Psychiatric Hospital have praised it
for its technical and scientific advances and
for its marvelous rehabilitation programs.

—Prensa Latina

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—JULY 29, 1977—Page 3