UPDATED ON:
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
12:12 Mecca time, 09:12 GMT
 
101 EAST
Bali breakdown

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Bali is known as a tropical paradise to millions of tourists.

But there is a hidden and dark side to the Indonesian island - Bali's mentally ill.

Most of them have never received proper treatment. Instead, their families often keep them chained up or in makeshift cages.
 
The situation is made worse by the island's severe lack of facilities. There is only one psychiatric hospital on the island, with just 30 beds reserved for the poor.

But one woman works hard to improve the lives of Bali's mentally ill. Dr Luh Ketut Suryani is a Balinese psychiatrist and the director and founder of the Suryani Institute for Mental Health in Denpasar.

She estimates that over 7,000 people in Bali suffer from serious chronic mental illnesses. But according to the official government position, mental illness is almost non-existent in Bali.

In this edition of 101 East, we ask if there is hope for Bali's mentally ill.
 
This episode of 101 East airs from Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at the following times GMT: Wednesday: 0830, 1930; Thursday: 0630, 1230; Friday: 0300; Saturday: 0530, 1730; Sunday: 0330, 1130; Monday: 1630; Tuesday: 1430.

 Source: Al Jazeera
 
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