New Mental Health Bill ready

by Carol Aloysius

A new Mental Health Bill will soon replace the antiquated and only officially recognized Act on Mental Health enacted in 1892, which is now before the Cabinet Sub Committee for approval.

Former Director and Founder, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr. Jayan Mendis told the Sunday Observer that a national mental health policy too was ready, offering fresh guidelines on services and manpower resources of the NIHM. The new law and the national policy will together contribute to drastic changes in the present approach to treating mentally ill patients, he said.

One significant change is that patients can hereafter be admitted to any psychiatric unit in the country, unlike at present where involuntary patients can be admitted only to the psychiatric unit of the NIMH at Angoda.

The Act will also look at strengthening long term and interim care units across the island.

To mark the October 10 Mental Health Day's theme, 'Improve Dignity of Mental Health,' Dr. Mendis said, there would be several awareness raising programs aimed at changing the way society looked at treating mentally ill persons. "They must be treated equally and given the same facilities as in other specialties," he said.

Several programs have been lined up including a public and a special walk led by Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Seneratne, on October 9 followed by the opening of a sales outlet to showcase products by patients on October 12.