THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the state takes pride in its achievements in the health sector, experts highlight that the conditions for mental health patients in government-run mental health centres remain largely unchanged. Health Minister Veena George acknowledged that patients in these facilities often face human rights violations, particularly in overcrowded mental hospitals.
She cited the example of the Mental Health Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, the largest government facility of its kind in the state, which currently houses over 700 patients despite having a capacity for only 470.
“Progress in mental hospitals has been slow compared to other medical specialties. The continued use of cells in these facilities is a violation of human rights,” the minister stated during the release of the memoir of Dr K A Kumar, a pioneering figure in the field of psychology and psychiatry in the state. A book, titled Novum Nilavum: Memoirs of a Psychiatrist, was released by the minister, by handing over the first copy to public health activist Dr B Ekbal.
Dr Ekbal reminisced about Dr Kumar’s significant contributions, including his efforts to improve conditions at the Mental Health Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
He also credited Dr Kumar for his groundbreaking work in suicide prevention through the establishment of an intervention programme. Dr Ekbal emphasised the need for an expert-assisted grassroots movement to address the rising suicide rates, in which the state continues to exceed the national average.