NHRC'S REVIEW MEETING ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION
The National Human Rights Commission held its North-Eastern region review meeting on Mental Health at Administrative Staff College, Jawaharnagar, Guwahati, Assam on the 11th February, 2010. The States covered in this review meeting included Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim.
The review meeting is in continuation with NHRC's involvement in monitoring of the mental health care system in the country. Prior to this, the review meetings of mental health care system in Eastern and Western zones have been held.
Inaugurating the North-Eastern Region meeting, NHRC Member, Mr. P.C. Sharma said that the core obligations and elements of right to health are availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality. Non-discrimination is the key element of accessibility which should be especially directed towards vulnerable group and persons with mental disabilities. He said that in-accessibility of certain geographical areas in the North-East region makes the task of extending both hospital and community based proposition a serious road block. Mr. Sharma said that a survey of the prevalence of mental health sickness in the region can be an effective way to workout the means to tackle the problem. This will also help in bridging the gap between infrastructural needs, manpower resources and the existing conditions. He said that rehabilitation of long stay patients in mental hospitals needs to be addressed urgently.
Mr. K.S. Money, Secretary General, NHRC said that it is important to appreciate the rights based evolution of mental health care. He explained the context of the review meeting in terms of the Supreme Court decisions of 1997 mandating NHRC to monitor the quality of mental health delivery.
During the meeting the points of discussion included:
Overall conditions in mental hospitals,
Status of implementation of District mental health programme,
Status of proposals of mental hospitals and District hospital pending with State Government for augmenting facilities as well as granting permission to carry out teaching courses, and
Modified steps proposed.
The Directors of Mental Hospitals, Professors of Psychiatry in the Medical Colleges, senior officers dealing with Mental Health in the region, concerned State Human Rights Commissions, officers of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India and representatives of Medical Council of India attended the meeting.
The review meeting is in continuation with NHRC's involvement in monitoring of the mental health care system in the country. Prior to this, the review meetings of mental health care system in Eastern and Western zones have been held.
Inaugurating the North-Eastern Region meeting, NHRC Member, Mr. P.C. Sharma said that the core obligations and elements of right to health are availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality. Non-discrimination is the key element of accessibility which should be especially directed towards vulnerable group and persons with mental disabilities. He said that in-accessibility of certain geographical areas in the North-East region makes the task of extending both hospital and community based proposition a serious road block. Mr. Sharma said that a survey of the prevalence of mental health sickness in the region can be an effective way to workout the means to tackle the problem. This will also help in bridging the gap between infrastructural needs, manpower resources and the existing conditions. He said that rehabilitation of long stay patients in mental hospitals needs to be addressed urgently.
Mr. K.S. Money, Secretary General, NHRC said that it is important to appreciate the rights based evolution of mental health care. He explained the context of the review meeting in terms of the Supreme Court decisions of 1997 mandating NHRC to monitor the quality of mental health delivery.
During the meeting the points of discussion included:
Overall conditions in mental hospitals,
Status of implementation of District mental health programme,
Status of proposals of mental hospitals and District hospital pending with State Government for augmenting facilities as well as granting permission to carry out teaching courses, and
Modified steps proposed.
The Directors of Mental Hospitals, Professors of Psychiatry in the Medical Colleges, senior officers dealing with Mental Health in the region, concerned State Human Rights Commissions, officers of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India and representatives of Medical Council of India attended the meeting.