*4 Jan 2012* *THRISSUR* : The Kerala High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of news reports on the ill-treatment of patients in a mental health centre at Avanoor, from where 41 mental patients were rescued by the medical officials on Monday.
The court sought a report on the case on Tuesday and asked the Thrissur district medical officer to submit it to the high court registrar. On the basis of the court order, the DMO officials sent a copy of the report to the advocate-general. P K Jameela, director of health services, said that inspection in mental health centres in all districts would be strengthened. "There are allegations that mental health centres run by religious organizations have been eluding the inspection of health inspectors. It will not happen again. Regardless of institutions run by religious organizations, inspection will be strengthened in all districts and strong action will be taken against the guilty," she said. The functioning of Community Health Centres for mental patients would be extended to all districts. She said the government was trying to fill the vacant posts of psychiatrists in district mental hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode. The centre at Avanoor was functioning in violation of the Mental Health Act 1987. Jameela visited the mental patients at the District Mental Hospital where they are undergoing treatment. Dr. N K Babu, superintendent of the hospital, said that they were getting in touch with the relatives of the patients. Many patients belong to Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-04/kochi/30588268_1_mental-patients-district-mental-hospital-mental-health-act -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
