State human rights commission seeks report on rehab of those left in mental hospitals

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State human rights commission (SHRC) has directed the state government to inform the steps it has taken for the rehabilitation of people abandoned by their relatives in mental health hospitals.
Despite having regained their mental health, at least 164 persons are forced to remain in mental health centres, as per media reports.
Commission chairperson Antony Dominic had registered a suo motu case in this regard based on media reports. The health director has been asked to submit the action taken report within a month. The case will be heard on April 10. At least 100 persons, who have effectively undergone treatment at Peroorkada mental health hospital, are forced to languish in the hospital. The number of such persons awaiting rehabilitation are 39 at Kuthiravattom and 25 in Thrissur. All of them are aged between 25 and 60 years.
Authorities said they often fail to identify the immediate relatives of such persons as those who admit them to the hospitals either change their mobile number or provide wrong address at the hospitals.
Recently, Dominic visited the mental health hospital at Peroorkada and instructed the state health director to take steps to rehabilitate those forced to remain in the hospital even after their treatment.