AFG: Projects: Adults: Mentally Ill
Kutaisi Psychiatric Clinic
Personal Observations from the Executive Director: In Kutaisi in Western Georgia, Dr. Vakho Sikharulidze, a valiant young psychiatrist, is trying to change the way psychiatry is perceived by a population which saw mental hospitals used as prisons for political dissidents during Soviet times. Vakho and I talked about how the political, economic and social changes in recent years have created a lot of stress and other traumatic factors for people in Georgia. He added, “Yet individuals are ashamed and frightened to seek psychiatric help.” One thing I noticed when I first visited Vakho years ago in his clinic was that he treated his patients with respect and compassion. I found him also to be extremely dedicated, going to all lengths possible to alleviate the suffering of this population. Vakho is trying to bring innovative and modern treatment to schizophrenics, epileptics, drug addicts, alcoholics and those incapacitated by depression. He is the only one providing such care in Kutaisi now. He has started occupational therapy for his patients including bee keeping which he believes helps them to focus and organize their thoughts. He has also started a new NGO, Imereti Regional Psychiatric Union that helps his patients to reenter society in Kutaisi.
Vakho has had difficulty finding a permanent space for his clinic because of the infrastructure in Georgia is still unstable. There is fierce competition for existing renovated spaces. Vakho recently rented a private office which enables him to see ambulatory patients. He also makes house calls to his most severely ill patients. He is incredibly energetic and has a very Georgian sense of humor, which helps him deal with many set backs and difficulties such as not being paid a salary for years. His salary he says, “is symbolic”.
AFG Accomplishments: AFG has:
- Provided funds for printing of informational booklets which Vakho used to encourage Georgians with mental health problems in Kutaisi to seek help
- Provided funds for purchase of a generator, heaters and bedding
- Provided a two year grant donated by an American psychologist to rehabilitate his clinic in order to attract paying patients so that the clinic can become self-supporting
- Shipped a computer donated by the United Nations which enables Vakho to obtain up to date information from the West on the latest advancements for treating psychotic illnesses
- Initiated a meeting with the director of Care International in Kutaisi to seek help for the Kutaisi Psychiatric Clinic who told me that Care funds only NGOs and not hospitals. So I recommended to Vakho that he start his own NGO so that he would be eligible for funding from Care International
- Arranged for Vakho to meet with the staff of Windhorse Associates (www.windhorseassociates.org) in Western Massachusetts to learn about their whole person approach to recovery from serious psychiatric disturbances
Current Needs: The Kutaisi Clinic needs:
- Funds to provide a permanent clinic space for Vakho
- Funds to purchase medicines for his severely ill patients
- Mentoring from a Western organization specializing in treating the mentally ill
- Funds to set up work therapy so that the patients can make crafts which will help produce income for their medical expenses