VACCINATE INMATES, STAFF OF MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES IN A MONTH, TOP COURT TELLS STATES

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered states and Union territories to vaccinate all inmates and staff of mental health care facilities against Covid-19 within a month and to set up a dashboard to provide information about rehabilitation homes set up for cured mentally ill patients within the same period.

The bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli said: “All states and UTS are directed to ensure time-bound schedule for vaccination of all persons lodged in mental health institutions and of service providers, health care workers and other staff, not later than one month from the receipt of this order. Progress report should be filed with the Union Ministry of Social Justices and Empowerment on or before October 15 explaining steps taken and the number of persons vaccinated for Covid.”

The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, who accused states and UTS of flouting a July 10, 2017 top court order requiring them to establish halfway homes serving as rehabilitation facilities for mentally ill patients who have been cured and were overstaying at governmentrun mental facilities. On July 6, the court directed the Centre to chalk out a plan for vaccinating inmates of mental health facilities on priority.

The court also went through status reports submitted by states on compliance of its July 2017 order. It said: “We do not find any genuine progress made in that context except different states have set timelines for setting up half-way homes.”

Uttar Pradesh said it has redesignated 75 old-age homes as halfway homes. “Merely designating 75 old homes as half-way homes will amount to mere lip service,” the bench said.