Home / Health / Divine Cure or Abuse? Rights Commission Intervenes
Divine Cure or Abuse? Rights Commission Intervenes
14 Mar
Summary
- Mentally ill patients were chained at a Buldhana shrine for cure.
- MSHRC directed state to upgrade mental healthcare facilities.
- Awareness programs are ordered to promote scientific treatment.
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has intervened following disturbing reports of mentally ill patients being brought to the Sailani Baba Dargah in Buldhana for a "divine cure." These individuals, suffering from conditions like schizophrenia and depression, were reportedly kept chained or abandoned at the shrine. The MSHRC has directed the state government to significantly upgrade mental healthcare facilities in the district.
The commission initiated a suo-motu case after media highlighted the "inhuman" treatment, calling it a "stigma on civil society." It noted that some patients are left by families, while others undergo treatment from unqualified practitioners. To combat this, the MSHRC recommended establishing a 30-bed ward at the district hospital and appointing a permanent psychiatrist.
Further directives include increasing outreach programs and considering a regional mental hospital. The district collector is tasked with fostering community movements to address mental health issues and treatment protocols effectively. These measures aim to ensure patients receive scientific treatment and their human rights are upheld, moving away from archaic practices.
