Initiatives taken by National Human Rights Commission Upon being entrusted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court to be involved in the supervision of the functioning of three mental hospitals in Agra, Gwalior and Ranchi; and mandated under section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 to visit, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, any jail or other institution under the control of the State Government, where persons are detained or lodged for purposes of treatment, reformation or protection for the study of the living conditions of the inmates thereof and make recommendations thereon to the Government, NHRC has adopted a totally open, transparent and participative style of monitoring the pace and progress of activities in the hospitals keeping the human rights dimension uppermost in view. It has hitherto used monitoring as a tool of correction and promotion of human rights of the mentally ill persons. National Human Rights Commission prepared a Plan of Action for improving the conditions in mental hospitals in the country and enhancing awareness of the rights of those with mental disabilities. The significant initiatives taken by the Commission since the year 1997 are summarised below: ● The Commission on its part conceptualised and translated to action a Project in collaboration with NIMHANS Bangalore on ‘Quality Assurance in Mental Health Care’ in the country with Justice Shri V.S. Malimath, former Member of NHRC as Project Director and Dr. S.M. Channabasavanna, former Director and Vice Chancellor, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) as the Principal Investigator along with a team of specialists as investigators. The objectives of the project were to analyse the existing status of mental health hospitals, shortcomings and inadequacies; comprehensive recommendations to achieve the object of ensuring quality mental health care in the country. The NIMHANS team took enormous pains to visit and intensively review the functioning of 37 mental health hospitals all over the country in a very short time. The review ended with a series of recommendations including steps to improve physical facilities, treatment and care of patients, occupational therapy as a tool of rehabilitation, training and research, and community outreach programmes. The recommendations included immediate abolition of cell admissions; gradual conversion of closed wards into open wards; construction of new wards of smaller capacity (not more than 20) for use as open wards; streamlining admission and discharge procedure in accordance with provisions of the Mental Health Act, 1987; upgradation of investigation facilities; in service training of all staff members; providing each patient a cot, mattress, pillow, bedsheet and adequate clothing for change; improving supply of water and electricity; ensuring supply of nutritive food of 3000 kilocalories per day to each patient; developing occupational therapy facilities; improving recreational facilities; developing rehabilitation facilities including day care centres. The report on ‘Quality Assurance in Mental Health’ was published by NHRC and released by Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 15