Georgian Public Defender inspects mental health centre in Rustavi

Georgian Public Defender Levan Ioseliani on Monday visited a mental health centre in Rustavi, a city south-east of capital Tbilisi, to assess conditions with regard to the rights of 22 patients at the facility, the Public Defender’s Office said.

Ioseliani inspected the centre’s indoor and outdoor infrastructure, including the yard, sanitary facilities, patient living quarters, and dining areas, and met with the facility's management and staff to discuss operational matters.

The Public Defender highlighted the need for renovation of the infrastructure, increases of psychiatry staff, improvements of sanitary and hygienic conditions and provision of adequate nutrition.

He also noted matters of psycho-social rehabilitation, the importance of confidentiality and protection of patients' personal spaces at the facility.