Kerala rights panel seeks report on rehabilitation of 164 cured of mental illness

Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 (IANS) Kerala State Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice Antony Dominic (retd), taking up suo moto the case of 164 people cured of their mental illness but still kept in three state-run mental hospitals, on Monday directed the state government to give a report on the steps taken to rehabilitate them.

The Director of Health Services has been asked to give the report to the Commission within four weeks.

The Chairperson took up the case based on media reports which stated that 100 people at the Mental Health hospital here, 39 and 25 at similar institutions at Kozhikode, and Thrissur, respectively, and have now been completely cured of their illness.

The treating doctors at these hospitals have given the certificate stating 164 of patients, all aged between 25 and 60, have been totally cured.

The problem that the hospital authorities face is when these patients were admitted, in most cases, a wrong address is given and later on, their kin changed mobile numbers, making it practically difficult to trace the family members of the patients who are admitted.

The Chairman has also asked the health authorities to give an action taken report on what steps were taken after he visited the Mental health hospital here some time back.

–IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, March 6 (IANS) Kerala State Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice Antony Dominic (retd), taking up suo moto the case of 164 people cured of their mental illness but still kept in three state-run mental hospitals, on Monday directed the state government to give a report on the steps taken to rehabilitate them.The Director of Health Services has been asked to give the report to the Commission within four weeks.The Chairperson took up the case based on media reports which stated that 100 people at the Mental Health hospital here, 39 and 25 at similar institutions at Kozhikode, and Thrissur, respectively, and have now been completely cured of their illness.The treating doctors at these hospitals have given the certificate stating 164 of patients, all aged between 25 and 60, have been totally cured.The problem that the hospital authorities face is when these patients were admitted, in most cases, a wrong address is given and later on, their kin changed mobile numbers, making it practically difficult to trace the family members of the patients who are admitted.The Chairman has also asked the health authorities to give an action taken report on what steps were taken after he visited the Mental health hospital here some time back.–IANSsg/vd