THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday convened a high-level meeting and appointed an expert committee to look into the present condition of the three mental health centres (MHC) in the state and submit a detailed report. The move comes after TNIE, through a series of reports, brought to light the human rights abuses and Mental Health Act 2017 violations at the MHC in Thiruvananthapuram. She also promised better treatment and infrastructure at the MHCs.
The minister said steps would be taken to expedite the modernisation projects at the MHCs. The state government has sanctioned Rs 400 crore, Rs 98 crore and Rs 100 crore to develop the MHCs in Kozhikode, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram in that order, she said.
Veena said the government would rehabilitate thousands of people who are forced to live at rehabilitation centres and MHCs after recovering from the illness. The meeting also decided to strengthen security at the MHCs and deploy more staff to ensure proper care of patients.
Dist judge asked to file report on steps to be taken
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the Thiruvananthapuram district judge, who is also the chairman of the monitoring committee of the mental health centre (MHC) in the state capital, to carry out a detailed enquiry into its sorry state of affairs.
The High Court also directed the judge to submit a detailed report on the measures that have to be taken to ensure better living conditions for the inmates at the MHC. The court issued the order while considering a memo filed by amicus curiae V Ramkumar Nambiar citing a series of reports published by TNIE on the pathetic and inhuman condition of the MHC in Thiruvananthapuram.
The memo stated the state is duty-bound to look after its subjects and ensure that proper treatment is given to them at the earliest, more so in case of mentally ill patients who can’t fend for themselves without the help and care of others. The district judge had visited the centre last week.