OFF THE CUFF: Mentally ill, 8 years in shack

THE PARENTS of a 24-year-old Indigenous man who has   been confined to a shack in squalid conditions for eight years may finally be on the edge of  getting help from Panama’s health authorities.

The  family from the Three Mile community in the district of Almirante, Changuinola district, have been  requesting assistance from the health authorities in Bocas del Toro to deal with Arcelio Abrego who has been locked up since 2007 due to his mental condition, reports La Prensa.

The shack was built by his parents who could not cope  with outbursts of  aggression  with relatives and neighbors during times of crisis.

According to the testimony of relatives, in recent years they have sought assistance from various government entities to treat the young man, but so far have not received a response says  La Prensa.

Ministry of Health sources consulted by the newspaper before the Independence celebrations said the case will be sent in the coming days to the National Secretariat for Children, Youth and Families. With government offices closed, Arcelio is unlikely to escape confinement this week.