Message of NHRC Chairperson, Mr. Justice Arun Mishra on World Mental Health Day

New Delhi 08th October, 2022

Greetings to all on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, India as it joins the nation as well as the global fraternity in observing the World Mental Health Day on the 10th October, 2022.

The day is commemorated each year on 10 th October to highlight the need for sustained efforts to safeguard mental health of people and enhance awareness about this.

This year’s theme for the World Mental Health Day is ‘Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority’. The day gives an opportunity to all, including governments, employers, employees and society as a whole to introspect and recognize the mental health issues that need proper systems in place to address these, and thus, help generate awareness to make mental health and well being of people a global priority.

The NHRC, India through its sustained efforts, has been striving for improving mental health care system in the country with affordable and easy accessibility to all at primary health centres, district hospitals and beyond. However, it is not the institutions of governance alone but society as a whole would require creating a system, sans adhocism, with compassion for the care, cure and rehabilitation of those, who suffer mental illnesses and human rights violations in silence. All States should implement the provisions of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

The Commission as per its mandate under the Protection of Human Rights Act and under a remit from the Supreme Court, has been monitoring the mental health care institutions. Recently, it visited mental health care hospitals and institutions in Gwalior, Agra and Ranchi and found that a lot of ground still remains to be covered to ensure the protection of human rights of mentally ill patients. It is painful to see that hundreds of cured patients are waiting for rehabilitation back to the main stream of society for years. This needs to be corrected.

Nevertheless, a word of appreciation and recognition for those Doctors, paramedical staff and civil society organizations, who are involved in the care of mentally ill people despite the challenges, will go a long way in encouraging others also to join hands in this pious service for the cause of humanity. It is also equally necessary that as individuals, we contribute in creating an atmosphere wherein, there is positivity supporting the mental strength and well being of all.

Jai Hind.”