A visit was conducted to the Gazakh Psychiatric Hospital within the mandate of the National Preventive Mechanism of the Ombudsman

Within the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) mandate of the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, the members of the National Preventive Group conducted a monitoring visit to the Gazakh Psychiatric Hospital under the Ministry of Health on 03 October 2023. 

During the visit conducted in line with the requirements of the OPCAT and the Constitutional Law on Ombudsman, the whole premises of the hospital, dormitory and medical rooms, canteen, and other areas were monitored. The current situation regarding the organization of medical services, nutrition, and water supply, as well as the documentation were also examined.    

It was determined that some of recommendations made regarding the shortages identified during the last monitoring were fulfilled, patients were supplied with necessary clothes, a favourable condition was created in the room for storage of medical drugs, registration documents for medical drugs were drawn up, and the room was equipped with a refrigerator to preserve the quality of drugs, requiring special storage conditions, during their usage validity.

 However, at the time of monitoring, it was also found that some shortages dealing with the storage condition still remain, the living space for male and female patients in the treatment and rehabilitation departments does not meet required standards, the clearance between the beds was very small, and in some instances, the beds were found adjoint. It is necessary to make an overhaul in the main building of the facility, specifically the sanitary junctions, as well as to overcome the anti-sanitary condition in the kitchen.    

While inspecting the wards, it was observed that, despite the fact that the medical restraints imposed on patients were recorded in the “Journal for Restraining (Fixation) Measures”, the acts regarding the duration (beginning and end periods) of those restraints have not been drawn up, and that detailed notes on this were  not provided in individual medical records.

The NPG members had private talks with the patients to investigate the treatment issues. 

At the end of the visit, the chief and the staff of the hospital were given recommendations for the elimination of shortages identified.

The Ministry of Health will be addressed regarding the outcomes of the monitoring.