QUAtlTYASSURANCE IN MENTAL HOSPITALS 10.1 The Commission has been deeply concerned at the unsatisfactory conditions prevailing in mental hospitals in the country, many of which function as custodial rather than therapeutic institutions. In the light of such problems as overcrowding, lack of basic amenities, poor medical facilities, little or no effort at improving the awareness of family members about the nature of mental illness, or of the possibilities of medication and rehabilitation, the Commission came to the view that there was great need for it to take up this issue which, if not redressed, would result in the continuing violation of the rights of those greatly in need of understanding and support. In order to tackle this Issue In a systematic way, the National Human Rights Commission entrusted a research project on 'Quality h u r a n o e of Mental Hospitals"to the National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, (NIMHANS) Bangalore. One of the Members of the Commission has bmn supervising and monttoring this project. The Commission has sanctioned an amount of Rs.6.60 lakhs to the Institute far this project, which is due to be completed shortly after the period covered by this report. The Director of the project is Dr. S.M. C hannabasavanna, formerly Director of NIMHANS. 10.2 Once the report is completed, it will be recommended to the Central Government for implementation. NfMHANS has also proposed that a workshop (an orientation programme for the staff of the mental hospitals) be held between 5-10 April 1999 in Bangalore to cover the mental hospitals in the States of Kerala (Trivandrum, Trichur, Calicut), Karnataka (Dharwar), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnarn), Maharashtra (Thane, Pune, Ratnagiri, Nagpur), Goa (Panaji), Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Baroda, Kutch, Valsad, Rajkot, Jamnagar). It has further proposed that three similar workshops be held in the months of June, July and August 1999 at NIMHANS, Bangalore to cover other regions. 10.3 10.4 The completion of the report and its subsequent implementationcould be a contribution of singular importance by the Commission to the protection of the rights of a group that is, too often and readily, neglected.