Right to Health and Role of Mental Health Institutions in Kerala

The preamble of the charter of the W.H.O formed in 1948, defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely absence of disease or infirmity. Mental illness has reached an alarming proportion over the globe and has become a vitally important issue for the nations in terms of morbidity, mortality and huge economic burden. In India there are multiple models of health care services are operating, under government services, private services and non-governmental services. Mental Health service includes both long-term hospital services as well as community mental health services, launched under the District Mental Health Programme. Mental health policies, legislation, community care facilities, and treatments for people with mental illness are not given the priority they deserve. Health being State subject in India and much depends on the ability of the State governments to allocate higher budgetary support to health sector. Kerala, the widely acknowledged state for it’s improvement in quality of life, now facing a severe crisis related to public health with increasing male suicides and increasing atrocities against women. The paper discusses the issues of right to mental health, health care facilities offered through various mental health institutions and to suggest suitable measures to enhance mental health through various institutional intervention.