National Seminar on Human Rights of the Mentally Ill
A national seminar on Human Rights focussing on the mentally ill, challenged and mental-illness prone persons, was organised in Calcutta by an NGO, SEVAC. It was sponsored by the Canadian High Commission and supported by the National Human Rights Commission.
Shri Virendra Dayal, Member, represented the Commission at the seminar, which was inaugurated by Mr. Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, former Chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. Mr. Justice V.S. Malimath, former Member of NHRC chaired the opening session of the seminar and Shri Dayal delivered the keynote address. Eighty-five delegates participated in the seminar including NGO representatives, social activists, psychiatrists, government officials and members and officers of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
The seminar made a number of far-reaching recommendations to improve the mental health care delivery services in the country, which had been highlighted in the Commission’s report "Quality Assurance in Mental Health". Practical suggestions were made for improving health care both quantitatively and qualitatively. The recommendations of the Seminar have been communicated to both the Central and State Governments, which have been urged to take all necessary steps to remove the gross inadequacy of mental health care facilities in the country and to provide satisfactory schemes and funds for the rehabilitation of mentally ill persons.
Shri Virendra Dayal, Member, represented the Commission at the seminar, which was inaugurated by Mr. Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, former Chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission. Mr. Justice V.S. Malimath, former Member of NHRC chaired the opening session of the seminar and Shri Dayal delivered the keynote address. Eighty-five delegates participated in the seminar including NGO representatives, social activists, psychiatrists, government officials and members and officers of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
The seminar made a number of far-reaching recommendations to improve the mental health care delivery services in the country, which had been highlighted in the Commission’s report "Quality Assurance in Mental Health". Practical suggestions were made for improving health care both quantitatively and qualitatively. The recommendations of the Seminar have been communicated to both the Central and State Governments, which have been urged to take all necessary steps to remove the gross inadequacy of mental health care facilities in the country and to provide satisfactory schemes and funds for the rehabilitation of mentally ill persons.