Kerala High Court Orders Director Of Health Services To Conduct Safety Audit Of All Three Mental Health Centres In State

The Kerala High Court on Monday (February 16) directed the Director of Health Services to conduct a safety of the mental health centres in the State after being informed of an incident in Thrissur in which a Nepali native escaped from the Mental Health Centre and attacked three persons after entering into their houses at night.The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.B. Snehalatha was considering an interim application filed by Advocate V. Ramkumar Nambiar, amicus curae in an ongoing public interest litigation initiated in 1996 following the Apex Court's direction in Sheela Barse v. Union of India.In the application, the amicus had posed several questions, including whether there was sufficient number of ward boys and staff at the Mental Health Centre, Thrissur to aid and assist the doctor at night when patients are brought in. One of the other pertinent questions raised was whether assistance of police personnel would be required at night in Mental Health Centres.When the matter came up for consideration, the government pleader sought time to respond to the queries in the application. After granting time as requested, the Court directed that an affidavit be filed before it responding to the same.The Court also felt it necessary to issue certain directions taking into consideration the urgency of the situation.It suo motu impleaded as respondents the State of Kerala represented by the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare department; the Director, Directorate of Health Services; the District Medical Officer, Thrissur; and the Superintendents of the three Mental Health Centres of Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode.“We direct the respondent – Director of Health Services, in concurrence with the other officers, to conduct a safety audit of all the three Mental Health Centres, with specific reference to the areas where persons in need of care are being housed and protected,” the Court directed. A request was then made to the amici curiae to be involved in the audit.The District Medical Officer, Thrissur was directed to verify the status of the persons injured in the incident in Thrissur and to inform the Court how the treatment expenses are being managed.Additionally, a direction was issued to the Superintendents of the Centres to inform the Court about the measures in place for the protection of healthcare professionals in the institutions. It added:“We direct the Superintendents of Mental Health Centres, to inform this Court, the steps and measures in place for the protection of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals of the institution, as also the details regarding the security personnel and such other, which will also be answered in terms of the questions posed by the learned Amici Curiae…”The Superintendents of Police/Commissioners of the three districts where the Centres are situated were directed to ensure that there is sufficient security in the Centres by liaising with the Superintendents of the Centres to prevent similar occurrences in the future.The case is posted on March 3 for further consideration.Case No: IA No. 2 of 2026 in O.P. No. 16667 of 1996Case Title: The High Court Legal Aid Committee v. State of Kerala and Ors.Amicii Curiae: V. Ramkumar Nambiar, Sathyashree Priya Easwaran Click to Read/Download Order

Kerala High Court Orders Director Of Health Services To Conduct Safety Audit Of All Three Mental Health Centres In State

K. Salma Jennath

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