Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Right to Health
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Institute of Mental Health, Amritsar
7.46 The NIMHANS report on the Government Mental Hospital, Amritsar makes adverse
comments under important heads like infrastructure, staffing, outpatients and inpatient services
and the procedure of admissions and discharge. The report shows that admissions were 100%
involuntary and all wards were closed wards locked all the time. Sanitation and hygiene were
lacking and the scale and quality of food served to patients were poor. The report reveals almost
total absence of essential components of mental health care, such as Rehabilitation Services,
Community Services and Rights consciousness.
7.47 Following the recommendations of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, which
took NIMHANS report as the basis of their initiative, this Institution has been totally revamped
and transferred along with its buildings, land, assets and liabilities to the Punjab Health System
Corporation (PHSC) with a new name—the Institute of Mental Health, Amritsar. The PHSC
raised a loan of Rs. 40 crore and constructed a new 450 bedded hospital building after demolishing
the major portion of the old building.
7.48 Most of the recommendations made in the NIMHANS Report have been implemented.
The staffing pattern has been rationalized and strengthened. Admission and discharge procedure
has been streamlined. Occupational therapy facilities have been developed. However, the extent
of psycho-social inputs to diagnosis is still inadequate and needs to be increased. The techniques
of psycho-social and behavioral therapy are yet to be introduced. Barring a few individuals, the
entire staff needs to be trained and sensitised in the matter of the human rights of inmates. The
absence of psychiatric social workers is adversely affecting the patients’ care and rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of long staying cured patients, possible only with the involvement of NGO sector,
remains totally neglected. The recommendations of the NIMHANS Committee about the
sensitization of judiciary made specifically in regard to female patients need to be addressed.
LGB Institute of Mental Health
7.49 The NIMHANS report has described this hospital as one that “ranks among the better
Government Hospitals in India” and commented favourably on the hospital services, living
conditions and spirit of team work of the senior staff. The report makes a number of
recommendations to upgrade the diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, improve treatment and
care of patients, initiate rehabilitatory measures and start professional courses for medical and
para-medical personnel. Some of these recommendations have been implemented satisfactorily.
Hospital’s infrastructure has been improved; emergency and day-care services have been opened;
pathology lab. has been up-graded, modified ECT facility has been introduced and teaching
facilities have been developed. However, some major deficiencies persist. Admissions are still
totally closed type and open ward facility is at the proposal stage as part of a project report.
Occupational therapy, an essential component of Mental Health Care is yet to evolve in a real
sense. Recreation facilities remain inadequate as before. Very little has been achieved in the field
of training and research although infrastructural facilities in staff and equipment have been set
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