Kerala High Court flags poor conditions at Kuthiravattom mental health centre

Expressing concern at the state of affairs at the Government Mental Health Centre at Kuthiravattom in Kozhikode, the Kerala High Court has sought a report from the secretaries concerned of the Health department and the Social Welfare department on the steps being taken to improve infrastructure for patients at the hospital.

Steps must also be taken to fill staff vacancies and complete Aadhaar enrolment of patients, the court said, adding that the conditions at the health centre were similar to those at the centres in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. Expressing angst at the condition of the isolation wards and cells, the court said many of the structures were very old, the premises were poorly lit, and a compound wall was needed. There was also a shortage of security personnel, cooks, and cleaning staff.