Madras High Court directs State Govt. to carry out special vaccination drive for mentally ill persons

On 28th June, 2021 the High Court at Madras recognised that a special vaccination drive is required to be carried out for those who are mentally ill as they may not be aware of the need to protect themselves. Further, many of them are abandoned by their families and therefore, there is a need to make shelters available to them with requisite facilities.

Relevant extracts of the order have been reproduced below-

“4. It is, however, necessary that just like the special drive undertaken by the State to protect persons with disabilities, a similar measure be adopted for persons who are mentally ill, who may be home bound, or may not be aware of the need to protect themselves. It is imperative that a special vaccination drive be undertaken, by whatever means that may be effective, to prioritize mentally ill persons and ensure that they are vaccinated. The policy of having mobile teams travel to persons with disabilities rather than make such disadvantaged persons come to centres, may be adopted in case of mentally ill patients. There are many persons who are abandoned by their families and roam around in the streets, who should be taken care of at the local level, and municipalities, corporations and panchayats should pay attention that such persons are provided some shelter and are vaccinated on a priority basis.

5. The petitioner refers to a 10.5 acre campus at Tiruvallur which incurs a monthly expense in excess of Rs.1.5 lakh for maintenance, to be used as a shelter or place where mentally ill patients who are destitutes or may have been abandoned by their families to be kept together and a vaccination drive be undertaken upon maintaining the necessary hygiene requirements.”