According to some estimates, there are around 40 mentally ill people on the streets of Makkah who often take shelter on pavements and close to shops.
Many residents are concerned at the development and say the authorities are failing to act. They add that the problem portrays a negative image of Makkah, especially during the Haj and Umrah seasons when millions of people visit the city.
“The presence of mentally unstable people has become a major cause of worry for local residents, especially for women, children and the elderly who are afraid of going out fearing they might be attacked,” said one local resident.
“They are also unsightly. They are poorly dressed, filthy and lie on pavements speaking to themselves,” said another resident. “Most of them become violent whenever they are disturbed by a pedestrian. Some of them attack passersby without any provocation,” he added.
Mahmoud Baitar, chief of the Al-Hajlah district, told Arab News the problem is growing and a source of shame for the holy city. “Twenty years ago, there were no such people in my district. However, the number of mentally deranged people roaming streets has increased in recent years. Now there are over 17 such people,” he said, while blaming the authorities for not doing enough.
Dr. Rajab Buraisali, consultant psychiatrist at Heraa General Hospital and the National Guard Hospital, said there are several government bodies responsible for the current situation.
“The first one is the Social Affairs Department which is doing nothing to give them shelter and look after them. Then there is the Ministry of Health which has failed to provide proper treatment to these sick people and take care of them,” he said.
He noted that there is only one hospital for mentally ill people in Makkah Province, the Taif Mental Hospital, which only has a capacity to accommodate 690 patients. More than 500 of these beds have been occupied for several years by patients.
Buraisali also blamed the families of these men. “Psychological studies show that the family has to play a vital role in improving the health conditions of mentally ill people. When they ignore them, they usually abandon homes and start roaming the streets,” he said.
He also underscored the role of local police in putting an end to the problem. “Police, in cooperation with village chiefs and health officials, should act swiftly to help these people. They should be taken to social care centers and hospitals for treatment,” he added.
Abu Waleed, a local resident, said he once came across one such man outside the historic Al-M’ala cemetery. “I felt sorry for him. He was in his 70s and just sat there in meditation in front of the cemetery gate. He was an old Makkan resident and I asked him about himself. He said he was from Makkah and had children. However, the way he was speaking told me he wasn’t there at all in his head. It was after sunrise and the man had slept the night on an old mattress on the pavement with people hustling and bustling by,” he said.
Abu Waleed said some people became mentally deranged after losing money when the Saudi bourse collapsed in 2005. “It was a difficult time then and to be honest some of the people who lost money have still not mentally recovered,” he added.
