NHRC's Western Region Review Meeting on Mental Health
The National Human Rights Commission is reviewing the status of mental health care in the country by holding Regional Review meetings. The Review meeting for Western Region comprising States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa and UTs of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli was held in Pune on the 24th July. Addressing the participants, who included representatives of governments, NGOs and mental hospital authorities, Mr. P.C. Sharma, Member NHRC, called for an urgent action to address the issue of the rehabilitation of persons who remain for long in mental health institutions. He observed that the implementation of Commission's recommendations and directions of the Supreme Court has not been quite satisfactory. Condition in many State run mental health institutions continues to be deplorable. He cautioned the concerned authorities that this neglect may amount to contempt of Supreme Court's directions.
Mr. Sharma said that given the stresses of modern life, the problems related with the mental health are going to be more complex in the coming years. Already, according to an estimate, there are about two crore persons in need of serious mental health care and another five crore suffer from various other types of mental health problems. The country, as of now, is not sufficiently equipped, either in terms of infrastructure or the mental health care professionals. Only 40 Government run mental health care institutions for a population of over a billion are inadequate compared to the need.
Mr. Sharma made following suggestions for improvement in mental health care system:-
" Mental Health should be a separate subject and paper for MBBS and passing that should be compulsory to overcome deficit of professionals in this field;
" Serving in rural areas should be made mandatory for carrier advancement;
" Mental health professionals should be more sensitive to the changing values and attitudes accompanying social, economic upliftment programmes;
" The approach of custodial confinement in mental health care institutions should change to treatment and care and involvement of society should be encouraged;
" Strengthening of research and development facilities in all the mental health care institutions should be expedited;
" Reach of mental health care services should be far and wide, especially in rural sector with expansion in infrastructure and service capacity;
" Experts should be encouraged to share their skills and good practices in mental health care;
This was the second meeting on mental health held by the Commission after the Eastern Region Review on the 5th June at RINPAS, Ranchi.
Member Mr. Sharma also attended a meeting of the Patients' Rights Forum at Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health, Pune on the 25th July, 2009. The NGO's raised the problems being faced by the general public including rag pickers, sex workers, persons affected by HIV/AIDS in their access to health care, particularly in private and trust hospitals. Mr. Sharma expressed concern over violation of patients' rights and said that the Commission may consider issuing guidelines for all hospitals in this regard. Over 25 representatives of Patients' Rights Forum and a number of doctors, including the Director of the MIMH, Dr. Mrs. Alka Pawar and senior officers of the Commission attended the meeting. The meeting was coordinated by an NGO, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.
Mr. Sharma said that given the stresses of modern life, the problems related with the mental health are going to be more complex in the coming years. Already, according to an estimate, there are about two crore persons in need of serious mental health care and another five crore suffer from various other types of mental health problems. The country, as of now, is not sufficiently equipped, either in terms of infrastructure or the mental health care professionals. Only 40 Government run mental health care institutions for a population of over a billion are inadequate compared to the need.
Mr. Sharma made following suggestions for improvement in mental health care system:-
" Mental Health should be a separate subject and paper for MBBS and passing that should be compulsory to overcome deficit of professionals in this field;
" Serving in rural areas should be made mandatory for carrier advancement;
" Mental health professionals should be more sensitive to the changing values and attitudes accompanying social, economic upliftment programmes;
" The approach of custodial confinement in mental health care institutions should change to treatment and care and involvement of society should be encouraged;
" Strengthening of research and development facilities in all the mental health care institutions should be expedited;
" Reach of mental health care services should be far and wide, especially in rural sector with expansion in infrastructure and service capacity;
" Experts should be encouraged to share their skills and good practices in mental health care;
This was the second meeting on mental health held by the Commission after the Eastern Region Review on the 5th June at RINPAS, Ranchi.
Member Mr. Sharma also attended a meeting of the Patients' Rights Forum at Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health, Pune on the 25th July, 2009. The NGO's raised the problems being faced by the general public including rag pickers, sex workers, persons affected by HIV/AIDS in their access to health care, particularly in private and trust hospitals. Mr. Sharma expressed concern over violation of patients' rights and said that the Commission may consider issuing guidelines for all hospitals in this regard. Over 25 representatives of Patients' Rights Forum and a number of doctors, including the Director of the MIMH, Dr. Mrs. Alka Pawar and senior officers of the Commission attended the meeting. The meeting was coordinated by an NGO, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.