Physical Infrastructure The Section 10 of Mental Health Act, 1987 clearly provides that every psychiatric hospital and psychiatric nursing home shall be maintained subject to conditions laid down in Rule 20 of the State Mental Health Rules, 1990 that – such hospital or nursing home is located in a building constructed with the approval of the local authority; the building where such hospital or nursing home is situated, has adequate floor space depending upon the number of beds and has sufficient ventilation and is free from any pollution which may be detrimental to the patients admitted in such hospital or nursing home. Under these prescribed conditions there are certain functional space requirements which represent the irreducible, barest minimum needs for a modern mental health hospital and are, therefore, non-negotiable. These functional requirements are: OPD space which includes sitting space for patients and their relatives waiting to be examined; space for Medical Officers examining the patients; registration counter; waiting space at the registration counter; record room; a room to accommodate patients and their relatives coming from far off places and reaching hospital after OPD hours to enable them to avail OPD services on the next day; drug dispensing unit; space for air conditioned modified ECT with a recovery room; pathological laboratory; biochem laboratory; space for ECG, EEG, X-Ray, MRI, CT scan etc.; case conference room; IPD space including male and female closed wards; male and female open wards; paying wards; space for toilets/bathrooms in each ward; space for the MOs room and nursing sisters room in the In Patient Department; kitchen with arrangement for storage space (for vegetables, fruits and provision), room for cooks to change their aprons, space for electric kneader, platforms for cleaning, washing and cutting vegetables, space for making chapattis etc.; dining space in each ward; separate occupational therapy units for male and female patients; separate big hall for yoga, pranayam, meditation, prayer and recreation for male and female patients; library-cum-reading room for the patients; automatic laundry; separate space for teaching block including rooms for members of the teaching and treating faculty; lecture rooms; auditorium; convention centre for holding national and international seminars, symposia and workshops; conference room; conference room; psychological testing laboratory; library-cum-reading room for the faculty members; space for administrative block a composite unit comprising superintendent/ director’s room; matron’s room; room for head of the security establishment and mini parks. Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 19