A Day Experience in Hospital Bahagia, Ulu Kinta

Yesterday I had a golden opportunity to visit Hospital Bahagia, Ulu Kinta. This hospital houses almost 2000 psychiatric patient, and it is the largest psychiatric institution in the whole Malaysia. I have the opportunity to talk with some of the patients, and all of them are currently rehabilitating from various mental illnesses which include schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. We have been briefed about some of the conditions and difficulties that are faced by patients and the medical workers, and I must say, I'm pretty impressed with some of the work they have done so far.

What strikes me as impressive the first time I came here is how dedicated they are in treating patients. As this place is vast, the kind of service provided by them in rehabilitating patients in term of work and social functioning is impressive. There is a section which they called "Kebun" which allow any patient who is clinically stable to work and earn some money while recovering from their ailment. There are a few type of occupations that are provided within the hospital area, and if they wanted to work outside, they have to get permissions from a medical doctor. The salary will be transferred to a centralised organisation which will handle all of the patient's financial and if the patient needs to use some money they will authorise not more than RM200 unless for any other particular reasons which are allowed by them. Some of the patients have a total financial of RM19,000 in savings, and I think the highest saving was RM72,000. In the hospital area, they can work in the orchard, fishing pool, cafeteria etc.

Looking at them strolling around, working happily and all, make me wonder what the thing that makes them sick in the first place. Mental illness is a silent disease. No one knows they have schizophrenia unless there is some precipitating event which occurs and makes them "go crazy". Hearing voice, believing that they are someone special sent by the God, is a common delusional symptom in here but they are all, in fact, a good people. I heard some of them were sent here by their own family because they don't want to take care of them, some of them were caught by the police as the community are getting worried about a patient with schizophrenia strolling along the road. The stigma is far more severe than you know. After working in this hospital for several years, most of the patient were able to collect as much as RM10,000 thanks to the excellent monetary management in this hospital. This money was for the patient and the patient only. Some of the family members try to take that money, criticising the regulations made by the hospital but it is a silver lining after all.

Coming here provides us with excellent exposure to the nurturing environment of Hospital Bahagia. I can't see myself being a Psychiatrist in this hospital, but I can see the future of psychiatric medicine if everyone is committed to treating and nurturing patient. They deserve all of the treatment they could get, and as a future doctor, we have to give them a fighting chance towards recovery.