No place for lesser mortals Mudassir Kuloo 20-Dec-2012 SRINAGAR: Even as the Mental Health Act 1987 makes it obligatory for the state to create a mechanism for licensing and monitoring mental health care facilities for the mentally unsound people, but the ground situation in the Valley narrates a woeful story, as these people continue to be neglected by the government and common masses.
The Mental Health Act of 1987 is legally applicable for the entire India. However, experts said, the Act has failed to play its role in the Valley due to indifference by the authorities towards the mentally unsound people. Prof. Sheikh Showkat, an expert-who has also conducted a research on status of implementation of provisions on National Mental Health Act in J&K- said, the act is applicable for the entire India, but in J&K, there seems no positive visible change on the ground by implementation of the Act. Showkat said, people facing psychological problems in Kashmir were not getting proper treatment due to lack of proper implementation of Mental Health Act of 1987. “The police does not have the knowledge about the act. I had even filed an RTI seeking the police’s role regarding the matter, but got negative reply from the police. The police in their reply said they have issued the circular asking the police officials to adhere to this act,” Showkat told The Kashmir Monitor, and added no records were provided by the police relating to their aspect of duties.” He claimed the act was old and needs to be incorporated and upgraded like in other parts of the world. Showkat believes the Pakistan’s Mental Health Act was better than India’s. Showkat said, the Act is also making it compulsory for the government to integrate the Psychiatric Hospital with the general hospital. “But, no such thing is happening here.” The Act imposes several responsibilities upon police which include admitting a person with psychological disorders into psychiatric hospitals. In valley , the primary and secondary health care institutions lack the basic infrastructure and facilities in the Valley for mentally disordered people. Well-known psychiatrist Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Margoob says, the act should be implemented strictly on the ground, like in other parts of the country. He claimed mentally un-fit people were getting least legal aid here. Margoob said, there was a dire need that civil society groups and the government should help these people, so that they would not be neglected. Doctors at the Psychiatric Hospital Srinagar said there were high incidents in the Valley, where psychologically challenged people were lodged in jails. “Even though the Act is making necessary that mentally un-fit people should not be punished because they have committed a crime in an unconscious condition, still they have to bear the harassment and punishment,” said a doctor. He said, the government does not seem bothered to implement the Mental Health Act strictly, so that the mentally disordered people would not face any ill-treatment. He said, such people shall not be lodged in jails, but should be admitted in psychiatric hospitals. http://kashmirmonitor.org/12202012-ND-govt-fails-to-implement-mental-health-act-38858.aspx -- 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
