New law soon to protect rights of persons with mental illness

Government proposes to replace the Mental Health Act with a new legislation which will provide for protection of rights of persons with mental illness.
The bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament soon, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad informed the Rajya Sabha.
The proposed legislation will seek to safeguard the right to access mental health care, right to community living, right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and right to equality and non-discrimination.
Admitting shortage of qualified professionals in the field of mental illness, Azad said as a result of implementation of manpower development schemes in the country, 151 new post- graduate seats in mental health specialities have been created.

Upgradation of 88 psychiatric wings of government medical colleges and modernisation of 29 government mental hospitals have been earmarked in the scheme.