Applauding the government's move to pass the new mental healthcare bill in Parliament,
experts pointed at the need to sensitise all stakeholders of society , including caregivers and
police, for effective implementation of the new law.
Highlighting the gaps in infrastructure and human resources, doctors, psychiatrists and social
workers said society has a long way to go before ensuring equal rights for mentally ill
patients, even though the bill is a move in the right direction.
“Just passing a new law is not enough -we need to ensure that everyone, especially the
caregivers, as well as the police and other stakeholders in society are sensitised to this new
paradigm that sees a person with mental disorder as someone having the same rights as
everyone else in society and makes it incumbent upon society to provide those rights,“ says
Dr Pallab Maulik, deputy director and head of research and development, George Institute for
Global Health India.
On Monday , Parliament passed the mental healthcare bill, decriminalising attempt to suicide
and defining mental illness in a broader and more inclusive way . While recognising suicide
attempts as a cry for help, the new law takes a rights-based approach and is patient centric.
For instance, the bill allows people a chance to choose someone who can take care of them or
method of treatment if they suffer mental illness in future. In other words, people suffering
from a mental illness will have the right to choose their mode of treatment by nominating
representatives who will ensure that their choices are carried out. The bill also repeals section
309 of the Indian Penal Code which provided for a yearlong imprisonment for a failed suicide
bid.
“The bill is a welcome progressive step in the right direction. It is definitely aspirational and
shows a high level of intent but how quickly it will see the management of the gaps between
the ground realities and the aspirations set by it, is something to be seen,“ says Dr Nimesh
Desai, director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Science (IHBAS).
Estimates show at least 13.7% of Indians suffer from mental illness and around 10% of them
suffering from common disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse
needing immediate medical intervention.
The study also showed that there are less than 4,000 doctors in the country to treat the large
number of mental patients. Apart from epilepsy , the treatment gap for all mental disorders is
over 60%. Nearly 1% of the population also run suicidal risk.
Source: The Times of India
experts pointed at the need to sensitise all stakeholders of society , including caregivers and
police, for effective implementation of the new law.
Highlighting the gaps in infrastructure and human resources, doctors, psychiatrists and social
workers said society has a long way to go before ensuring equal rights for mentally ill
patients, even though the bill is a move in the right direction.
“Just passing a new law is not enough -we need to ensure that everyone, especially the
caregivers, as well as the police and other stakeholders in society are sensitised to this new
paradigm that sees a person with mental disorder as someone having the same rights as
everyone else in society and makes it incumbent upon society to provide those rights,“ says
Dr Pallab Maulik, deputy director and head of research and development, George Institute for
Global Health India.
On Monday , Parliament passed the mental healthcare bill, decriminalising attempt to suicide
and defining mental illness in a broader and more inclusive way . While recognising suicide
attempts as a cry for help, the new law takes a rights-based approach and is patient centric.
For instance, the bill allows people a chance to choose someone who can take care of them or
method of treatment if they suffer mental illness in future. In other words, people suffering
from a mental illness will have the right to choose their mode of treatment by nominating
representatives who will ensure that their choices are carried out. The bill also repeals section
309 of the Indian Penal Code which provided for a yearlong imprisonment for a failed suicide
bid.
“The bill is a welcome progressive step in the right direction. It is definitely aspirational and
shows a high level of intent but how quickly it will see the management of the gaps between
the ground realities and the aspirations set by it, is something to be seen,“ says Dr Nimesh
Desai, director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Science (IHBAS).
Estimates show at least 13.7% of Indians suffer from mental illness and around 10% of them
suffering from common disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse
needing immediate medical intervention.
The study also showed that there are less than 4,000 doctors in the country to treat the large
number of mental patients. Apart from epilepsy , the treatment gap for all mental disorders is
over 60%. Nearly 1% of the population also run suicidal risk.
Source: The Times of India
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