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A boon in the making for mentally ill
Ill_Bill.jpg "A boon in the making for mentally ill")
The Mental Health Care Bill, when it becomes Act, is considered a watershed event in ensuring protection to the patients suffering mental illness. There are over 450 patients in the Institute of Mental Health and out of them a quite number of them are left in the lurch as there is no one to take care of them.
Hyderabad: The Mental Health Care Bill, when it becomes Act, is considered a watershed event in ensuring protection to the patients suffering mental illness. There are over 450 patients in the Institute of Mental Health and out of them a quite number of them are left in the lurch as there is no one to take care of them.
The Mental Health Care Bill has come as boon for such patients. Insurance cover has been provided for mental illness under the Act. It is going to have a huge impact, said healthcare specialists.
Dr M Umashankar, Superintendent, Institute of Mental Health said, “This Bill ensures people the right to live a life with dignity and gives citizens a choice of treatment and also nominate a person to make decisions on his or her behalf. This is going to have a far reaching impact and augurs well for patients.”
What the Bill says
- Decriminalisation of suicide: Previously a person was booked for suicide attempt. Now it is not considered a crime, but a cry for help
- It is compulsory to include mental illness under medical insurance cover
- Advanced Directive allows a person even when he is well to state his choice of treatment in an eventuality of future mental illness.
- Nominated representative: It allows citizens to appoint a representative who can take decisions on his behalf in the future.
In India not less than 150 million patients are in need o treatment, but they are denied of care. Stigma and lack of a support system are major reasons. The Institute of Mental Health in Hyderabad receives 40-50 new patients every day and the outpatient departments in Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Sangareddy and other districts receive about 100 patients daily, according to Umashankar.
Dr Ravi, a psychiatrist, said the bill has given a new perspective on how a mentally ill patient would be viewed. In the past they evoked fear or pity. About 80 per cent of these patients are denied treatment.
But now peoples’ perception of them would change, he felt. The Bill also provides for a range of mental healthcare services at community and district level through the public health system. Dr Purnima, a psychiatrist, expressed the hope that the Bill would provide a better healthcare to the patients.
