MARGAO
Referring to complaints emanating from different parts of the State that the New Mental Health Care Act 2017 has not yet been implemented at Goa’s Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), Bambolim, Congress MLA Reginald Lourenco has requested Health Minister Vishwajit Rane not to turn a blind eye to this immediate health concerns of
Goemkars in Goa.
In his letter, the Curtorim MLA urged the Health Minister to clarify whether the new Mental Health Care Act 2017 has been implemented in the State, saying that he has been given to understand that the review board has not been constituted at the IPHB, Bambolim.
“I have been continuously bringing to your notice about your government’s step motherly treatment in the running of IPHB. Please do not turn a blind eye to this immediate health concern of Goemkars in Goa.” “What are the reasons behind the non-implementation of the New Mental Health Care Act, 2017? Is it the callousness on part of the political leadership or the lethargy on the part of bureaucracy?” he asked.
Reginaldo claimed that since the New Mental Health Care Act 2017 has not been implemented, the patients are the worst sufferers and many are confined in solitary cells and there have been cases where the inmates have committed suicides in the cell itself.
“The inmates have certain rights and it is nowhere seen these are protected. As the government is losing in all aspects of governance in Goa and its people agonised by the sorry state of affairs are losing their minds and are forced to visit IPHB, at least now show some semblance of humanity that your so-called government cares for its people.”
