Human rights of mental patients in India: a global perspective

Purpose of review This paper provides an overview of the human rights of mental patients in India from a global perspective. There is diversity regarding the awareness and implementation of human rights issues in a large democratic country like India, with a population of over one billion. India's constitution envisages the establishment of a new social order, and one of the primary duties of the states is to improve public health. India has a national health policy and national mental health programme, and has a mix of public and private mental health facilities. Recent findings After the development of a national mental health policy and a new Mental Health Act in 1987, and the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission in 1994, there is greater awareness about mental health issues, including human rights, in India. This increased awareness has brought into focus the poor conditions in some of the old mental hospitals. Although some aberrations of violations of human rights issues reported in the Erwadi Tragedy in 2001 cannot be generalized for the whole country, such issues have attracted wider media attention. Summary Recent media coverage and legal interventions on human rights issues regarding mental patients have attracted wider attention of both public and policy makers. The efforts of the courts have helped to safeguard human rights and develop the quality of mental healthcare norms in India. Health legislation and mental health policy, with the support of mental health professionals, can positively help improve the quality of care for the forgotten millions.