The Kerala government has finalised a new name for its three major government-run mental health centres, which will now be called 'Regional Institute for Happiness and Wellness'.
The institutions are located in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode.
The state informed the Kerala High Court on Tuesday that the revised name had been finalised after consultations with stakeholders, including medical organisations that had objected to an earlier proposal.
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However, the High Court made it clear that changing the names of the institutions would not be enough without addressing the gaps in their infrastructure and day-to-day functioning.
Advocate General K. Jaju Babu told a Division Bench comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and Basant Balaji that a formal Government Order was being issued. The court directed the state to place the order on record at the next hearing.
Kerala Mental Health Centres: What Did The High Court Say?
After personally inspecting all three mental health facilities, the High Court identified a number of issues that needed immediate government attention.
The Bench determined that building perimeter walls, hiring enough personnel, maintaining the supply of medications, and providing cars for the transportation of food and other necessary supplies within the facilities were the four main concerns.
The court emphasized that safeguarding the property was crucial to preserving institutional integrity and voiced particular concern over delays in building boundary walls.
The Bench also cautioned that if the administration did not demonstrate real progress on the concerns, contempt proceedings might ensure.
What Did Kerala Government Tell The High Court?
During the hearing, the Advocate General informed the court that medicine supplies had been streamlined. He also said vehicles were expected to be procured within one or two weeks.
On the construction of boundary walls, the state submitted that the work was progressing rapidly.
However, the government sought another fortnight to address the shortage of personnel, explaining that the newly appointed Health and Family Welfare Secretary needed additional time to examine the relevant files.
The court stressed that government assurances must translate into concrete action. It expects progress on medicine supplies and vehicles by the next hearing.
The state has also been directed to submit an action-taken report on boundary wall construction and staffing by the following Tuesday.
Why Did Kerala Change The Name Of Its Mental Health Centres?
The renaming proposal had earlier faced objections from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Indian Psychiatric Society.
The government had initially proposed the name 'Happiness and Wellness Centres'. However, both medical organisations raised concerns over the proposed title.
The High Court subsequently allowed the two organisations to submit their objections to the authorities. Following consultations with stakeholders, the state finalised the revised name, 'Regional Institute for Happiness and Wellness'.
Kerala Mental Health Centres Case: Why Does It Date Back To 1996?
The proceedings are part of a long-running judicial intervention that dates back to 1996.
The case has its roots in directions issued by the Supreme Court in the Sheela Barse case, which dealt with the rights and welfare of persons with mental illness.
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The latest proceedings have brought the condition and functioning of Kerala's three major government-run mental health institutions back into focus, with the High Court seeking improvements beyond the proposed change in their names.
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