<p>India has seen spectacular growth in the last two decades. The term 'India Shining' brings to mind the rapid commercialisation the country has experienced, malls cropping up like mushrooms. Brand 'India' has become a reliable export and everyone wants a piece of the pie. However this development has had no effect on certain sections of the populace. Flagrant human rights abuses are still rampant, whether in the form of discrimination against women and children, or abuse and neglect of the disabled and mentally ill. For in a country that is growing rapidly, trying hard to match the development of the West, these issues are still largely ignored and not open for discussion.<br><br>The Mental Health Act of 1987 is outdated and failed in providing an in depth understanding of how to treat people suffering from mental illness. There are no reinforcement or accountability measures to review the performance of government or private run institutions. The dismal treatment of patients in these homes is not hidden, just ignored. Human Rights Watch mentioned the pathetic conditions of patients in New Delhi's Asha Kiran, a government run residential facility for people with intellectual disabilities. Almost 900 people housed in a 350-bed facility. There were several reports of physical and sexual abuse. The report did enforce the government into agreeing to cooperate and improve conditions but unfortunately the realities on ground have changed very little.</p><table style="width: 200px;" align="right" border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5"><tbody><tr><td><img alt="" src="http://bw-image.s3.amazonaws.com/Sweta-Rawat-mdm.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 200px;"></td></tr><tr><td><em>Sweta Rawat</em></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In most cases, superstition and lack of awareness and education have made people turn to faith, an example is the Hanumanthpuram temple in Tamil Nadu. Individuals are brought by family or simply abandoned there, the belief being that a glimpse of the statue of Lord Shiva will 'fix' the person. Countless other temples and dargahs across the country offer similar 'solutions'.'Possession' by evil spirits is another explanation given for certain behaviors. It is not just people suffering from mental illness that are affected by ignorance, but even the people working with them such as psychiatrists and social workers face the skepticism of the public.<br><br>How can we change the way we think about mental health?<br>In recent times a famous Bollywood celebrity spoke about depression and mental illness. In a country where celebrities command so much respect and attention, this was a great way to start talking about the issues. Because to affect change we need to first accept there is a problem. Education and transparency are also essential steps we need to take to ensure people are aware of mental illness and what resources are and can be available to ensure the individual can lead a normal, enriching life in the community.<br><br>The WHO (World Health Organization) MIND Project states that mental health services need to be integrated into primary healthcare, universally available to all people. If mental health can be a part of universal healthcare, it will go a long way to reduce the stigma and improve social integration for the concerned individual and his or her family. Also providing treatment at the primary level and informal community care, can prevent people from being admitted into psychiatric institutions. Today there is one psychiatrist for every 400,000 people, a startling statistic that highlights the glaring gaps in the provision of care.<br><br>There has to be a multi-organizational effort to jumpstart the positive initiatives. Public-private partnerships can improve access and outreachof services and hopefully with the right focus, mental health can change from being a topic of taboo to one of education and understanding.<br><br><em>The author, Sweta Rawat, is chairperson, The Hans Foundation</em></p>
