District Judge B Sudheendra Kumar on Thursday said action will be taken at the earliest to shift the mentally challenged inmates of Ward 9 of General Hospital here to the Peroorkada Mental Health Centre. He said this after visiting the ward as part of the World Mental Health Day observation.
Sudheendra Kumar said that a report has been sought from the hospital authorities regarding the mentally challenged inmates housed in Ward 9. The authorities have been asked to submit the report at the earliest.
As part of the Mental Health Day observation, Sudheendra Kumar also distributed sweets to the inmates. He was accompanied by hospital superintendent Dr Stanley and Bar Association president K P Jayachandran, among others.
Earlier, Sudheendra Kumar had visited the Mental Health Centre at Peroorkada.
The hospital authorities had, many times, demanded that the mentally challenged inmates of Ward 9 should be shifted to the Mental Health Centre as it was difficult to properly take care of them.
Health Minister V S Sivakumar had several months ago said that steps would be taken to shift 10 of the mentally challenged to the Mental Health Centre. However, the hospital authorities maintain that nothing has been done till now in this regard.
Ward 9 of the General Hospital is where destitute patients are admitted and as many as seven mentally challenged are housed here now.