Following reports of psychiatric patients being detained and given banned
drugs, hospital authorities launch an inquiry
*Jyoti Shelar*
*4 January 2011*
*
Mumbai*: A day after Mumbai Mirror reported that psychiatric patients at
Byculla’s Masina Hospital were being detained illegally, the management has
initiated an internal inquiry into the ward.
According to a report filed by a five member committee appointed by the
Directorate of Health Services (DHS), the 110-year-old hospital was found to
be rampantly violating the Mental Health Act, 1987.
Masina Hospital at Byculla
“We haven’t received a copy of the report as yet. We have started an inquiry
at our end. If any of these allegations are true we will shut down the ward
on our own,” said K T Dinshaw, one of the trustees, adding that the hospital
has been catering to the poor and needy for the past many years. “There is
no possibility that banned psychotropic drugs were used on patients or that
they were detained. I would have been the first one to oppose any such
illegal activity,” said Dinshaw.
Mumbai Mirror had reported on Monday that the DHS report stated not just
that hospital was detaining patients but also that it was forcing
psychotropic drugs on them. “I don’t know which banned medicines they are
talking about. We do not do anything without the consent of relatives or
patients,” said Dr Yusuf Matcheswala, Head of Psychiatry at the hospital.
The incident came to light after a Kemps Corner resident Pushpa Tolani filed
a complaint with the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (MHRC) alleging
that her friend Neela Shete was detained at Masina for more than two months.
“Neela worked as an art collector and comes from a well-to-do family. She
has been a fine person.
We were all shocked when she was confined in the psychiatric ward for such a
long time,” said Tolani, adding they learnt later that Shete was confined
without the mandatory reception order from the district magistrate. “She had
been begging and weeping to be allowed to go home. How can they say it was
with the patient’s consent or a voluntary detention?” said Tolani.
The MHRC directed the DHS to look into the matter and file a report. Dr
Suresh More, assistant director of mental health, DHS, said, “We have listed
all the loopholes.
The hospital has also been asked to start correcting its shortcomings or it
will face a shutdown soon. The Human Rights Commission will also
simultaneously look into the matter.”
A similar case was reported with the MHRC in 2003 after a 45-year-old Breach
Candy resident was confined for three months in a mental health clinic at
Khar. While the patient was released from the detention along with many
others, the MHRC also ordered for a close down of the clinic.
Comments
*Hellloo only a caregiver knows the woes of having a Mentally Ill person at
home. Thank U Masina and Dr Matcheswalla for having such a facility.
otherwise we would hav to send our dear ones to the Mental Home !!
bigmama,
[email protected]<https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&[email protected]>
Dated
: Friday, January 07, 201112:21 AM*
*
*
*I am 100% sure Mr. KT Dinshaw was fully aware of the illegal detention part
which is done to the patients sent by relatives. He doesnt need an inquiry
to prove that. and what bullshit is he saying that the hospital is meant for
the poor and needy. it is the most expensive hospital for psychiatry
treatment and mr dinshaw is 100% fully aware of this. he has been keeping it
running and staying mum about it since it was generating huge amounts of
money for so many years without anybody daring to against them, or find out
about whether they are following any law of mental act or not, as patients
are not aware and those who suffer get so scared of this place that they
tremble against taking any action against them after suffering so much even
if they can get information as to how to go about it. i salute mumbai mirror
with my mind , body and soul , for exposing these culprits who are just
minting money under the false impression of pyschiatry.I would request the
DHS and MHRC to not accept bribes from these people and let this hospital
function again or otherwise god will truly give them punishment for not
doing justice to the ones who have suffered by the torture given by this
hospital.
kinshuk,
[email protected]<https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&[email protected]>
Dated
: Thursday, January 06, 201109:32 PM*
*
*
*The sooner it is closed and their mis deeds are exposed the better for
innocent people who are forcibly admitted and declared MAD by this
institution. It has been violating all norms for too long and it needs to be
closed a.s.a.p.
gurupreet anand,
[email protected]<https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&[email protected]>
Dated
: Tuesday, January 04, 201106:36 PM*
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