Table 2 Verbatim quotes from the interviews, organized by theme
| Â | Representative verbatim quotes |
|---|---|
Theme 1: The right to an adequate standard of living | “Facility is always dark when there is power outage because the generator is unable to supply power to the entire facility.” Service user “We are not crowded because we used to be eight in a room. Also, our beds have been spread out to accommodate three beds due to the COVID-19.” Service user “The building is not accessible to wheelchair users. The staircase is narrow and there are no lifts too. The staff or relatives or carers usually carry the physically disabled service users to the first floor of the building for treatment or admission.” Staff member “Individual phones are prohibited for fear they could be used negatively such as arranging for weed to be brought into the facility.” Staff member |
Theme 2: The right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health | “They make sure to look out for other underlying health conditions as well. I remember very well there was a time that they allowed for our liver to be checked. That is hepatitis B screening.” Service user “There is no constant supply, sometimes we experience shortage of medications.” Staff member “Yes, he did not get treatment because he could not afford.” Family member “We are not sufficiently knowledgeable of the rights of persons with mental disabilities.” Staff member “No staff has ever helped to come up with such comprehensive plan… we don’t have such recovery plans.” Service user “I am only given the medicine to take, I am not told about any other thing.” Service user “I don’t know about recovery plan.” Staff member “Service users have no recovery plan.” Service user |
Theme 3: The right to exercise legal capacity and the right to personal liberty and security of person | “It is not you who decides this. If you need to be admitted, you will be admitted. In this hospital, you are not the one to decide when it comes to treatment and care services.” Service user “Consent is done on behalf of service users by their relatives often.” Staff member “My consent was verbally sought by the staff.” Family member “If they refuse treatment, they are forced.” Carer “No, we don’t agree with them not to take their medication because the person may be a danger to himself and others.” Staff member “On most occasions we don’t allow service users to refuse treatment…yes, service users have the right to refuse treatment but sometimes we force them to take the medications.” Staff member “There are times you meet with a health official who will listen to you; at other times they don’t.” Service user “Yes, a folder is created for each service user and information is very confidential.” Staff member |
Theme 4: Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and from exploitation, violence and abuse | “I was once pecked by a male staff unaware.” Service user “Yes, a nurse held a user by the shirt and kicked him down.” Service user “Staff members do respect us.” Service user “Staff in this facility treat us with human rights and respect us.” Service user “Not yet seen abuse, but I see the nurses do grumble.” Family member “Sometime back, a service user who is a friend was physically abused as a form of punishment and control.” Staff member “Yes, sometimes the service user may be doing something wrong, and the staff will shout at him.” Staff member “Staff who are found abusing service users are reprimanded and service users involved are rendered an apology and counselled. Also, such incidents are recorded.” Staff member “No standard procedure is in place, but staff are made to render an apology to the service user and queried not to behave negatively towards service users.” Staff member “There is no avenue for complaint lodging.” Service user |
Theme 5: The right to live independently and be included in the community | “No, we have no knowledge about the role and availability of community services or resources”. Family member “No, we don’t have the knowledge about community services.” Staff member “Yes, I know of department of social welfare and currently a service user is working at the laundry.” Service user |