Madhya Pradesh: NHRC to review condition of Gwalior mental hospital

BHOPAL: A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India delegation, led by its chairperson justice Arun Mishra, has scheduled a visit to Gwalior Mansik Arogyashala in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday to inspect and have first-hand knowledge of its present conditions.
The commission would also formulate a long-term plan for the efficient working of the Mansik Arogyashala.The visit will be followed by a workshop to sensitize all the stakeholders about various challenges relating to mental health on Wednesday at Gwalior.
In response to a PIL, Supreme Court in the order dated November 11, 1997 had directed the district judge to continue the monitoring of the mental hospitals in Gwalior, Agra & Ranchi, and give necessary directions from time to time by sending periodic reports to the NHRC, with a copy to the apex court.
Accordingly, the NHRC chairperson requested the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh high court to advise the district judges of Gwalior to monitor the functioning of the mental hospitals and to send quarterly reports to the NHRC with a copy to Supreme Court.
A similar DO letter from the NHRC joint secretary to the district judge of Gwalior was issued, wherein the report for the quarter ending March 31, 2022 was requested to be submitted to the Commission latest by April 20, 2022.
An inspection report received from the district judge in Gwalior in this regard highlighted shortcomings and difficulties in the functioning of the hospital, including lack of funds, shortage of staff, poor infrastructure, poor accommodation, difficulty in locating the family members of cured patients, and difficulty in repatriation.
The delegation will also consist of NHRC members -- justice M M Kumar and Rajiv Jain, secretary general Mr Devendra Kumar Singh, and joint secretary Harish Chandra Chaudhary.
The sensitization workshop on Day 2 will include participation, among others, by Mohammed Suleman, IAS, additional chief secretary, department of health education; Prateek Hajela, IAS, additional chief secretary, social welfare and disabled welfare department, Madhya Pradesh govt; Prof (Dr) Atul Goel, director general, health services, government of India; Prof (Dr) Pratima Murthy, director, NIMHANS; divisional commissioner, Gwalior; principal district judge, gwalior and director, Gwalior Mansik Arogyashala.