Homeless persons with mental illness and COVID pandemic: Collective efforts from India

Guru S Gowda; Nellai K Chithra; Sydney Moirangthem; Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar; Suresh Bada Math

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102268

Homeless persons with mental illness and COVID pandemic: Collective efforts from India

Asian J Psychiatr. 2020 Dec:54:102268. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102268. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Authors

Guru S Gowda¹, Nellai K Chithra², Sydney Moirangthem², Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar², Suresh Bada Math²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India. Electronic address: drgsgowda@gmail.com.
² Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560029, India.

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic had made an unprecedented impact worldwide. India has entered into a total lockdown by invoking the special provision of Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2015. The complete lockdown policy has a direct and indirect impact on Homeless Persons with Mental Illness (HPMI) concerning shelter, basic needs and access to health care, besides the transmission of COVID infection. In this manuscript, we highlight the collective efforts undertaken by both the Government and Civil Society in providing care and protection to HPMI against COVID during the lockdown in India.

Keywords: Corona; Homeless person with mental illness; India; Mental health; Mental illness.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Health Services Accessibility*
Humans
Ill-Housed Persons / psychology*
India
Mental Disorders / psychology*
Mental Health Services*
Quarantine / psychology*