Mental Healthcare Centre: MSHRC takes stern view after nursing home in Pune found flouting norms

Taking a stern view of alleged malpractices in a mental healthcare centre, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has directed the state public health department to issue notice to a Pune-based private nursing home where an expert committee appointed by the commission found a number of violations of norms. A complaint had stated, among other things, that mentally challenged patients were chained and made to carry bricks as a form of punishment.

In addition, the commission directed the health department to conduct surprise checks at the nursing home to ensure no human rights violations are found with respect to admitted patients. The commission looked into the complaint after it was forwarded from the National Human Rights Commission in 2015. According to the complaint, Practical Life Skills in Balewadi, Pune, had admitted mentally ill patients at its four-storey centre. The centre, as per allegations, did not follow due protocol while treating mentally ill patients. The complaint alleged that a patient was forced to commit suicide following torture. The commission then appointed an expert committee to look into the allegations.

In the latest hearing on Thursday, the commission observed that several posts in the nursing home remain vacant, including that of resident medical officer, security staff, female attendants, doctors and nurses. In addition, the committee pointed towards lapses in maintaining fire-fighting security and registration of bio-medical waste. “Serious lapses have been committed by the management of the nursing home, which without any doubt makes out a case of violation of human rights,” observed commission member M A Sayeed.

Despite repeated attempts, Director of Practical Life Skills, Indrajeet Deshmukh, remained unavailable for comment. According to the complaint filed in 2015, patients have to be regularly reviewed in three months and discharged or re-admitted following family’s approval but the organisation did not conduct routine checks with families.