Patiala News:Special Monitor of National Human Rights Commission reviews facilities being provided to leprosy patients and mentally ill persons in Patiala

-No leprosy patient or mentally ill person should be deprived of the benefits of government schemes – Dr. Pardeepta Kumar Nayak

-Social discrimination against people affected by leprosy should not be allowed.

-Said, all departments should work in coordination to defeat leprosy

-The Supreme Court has ordered to give top priority to the welfare of leprosy patients and mentally ill people who are pushed out of the mainstream of society.

Dr. Pradeepta Kumar Naik, Special Monitor (Leprosy) of the National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi, visited Patiala district and reviewed the welfare of leprosy patients, persons disabled due to this disease and patients affected by mental health and the health facilities being provided to them and various government schemes.

Dr. Naik interacted with leprosy patients and got information about their problems, needs and government services being provided to them by interacting with them in leprosy colonies located in Patiala and Rajpura. He directed the concerned officials that there should be no negligence in providing benefits of government services and welfare schemes to the persons affected by leprosy and those suffering from mental health problems. He said that there should be no social discrimination against such persons and efforts should be made to include them in the mainstream of the society with respect.

After this, Dr. Pradeepta Kumar Nayak held a review meeting with the district officials at the Circuit House. He inquired about the services being provided to the persons affected by leprosy by various departments including Health and Leprosy Programme, Social Security, Social Welfare, Mental Health, Education, Employment/Livelihood, Women and Child Development, SC, Minorities and OBC and the benefits of government schemes.

Dr. Naik asked the concerned departments to work in coordination with each other to ensure that the persons affected by leprosy get the benefits of social security and other welfare schemes along with health facilities. He also stressed on checking the records of various departments and conducting field verification as per the requirement.

He said that it is the common responsibility of everyone to protect the rights of persons affected by leprosy, connect them with government services and welfare schemes and eliminate social discrimination. He said that under the efforts being made by the National Human Rights Commission in this regard, the situation is being assessed in various states and districts and compliance with the orders given by the Hon’ble Supreme Court to give high priority to leprosy and mental health is being ensured.

The Special Monitor of the National Human Rights Commission praised Patiala district for compiling complete details of pensions and other schemes being provided to individual leprosy patients by the Social Security Department.

Dr. Pradeepta Naik said that leprosy is considered a social stigma, which is why leprosy patients need mental support along with medicine, which is why the Supreme Court has given high priority to leprosy and mental health and made it mandatory to submit quarterly reports from across the country to the National Human Rights Commission.

On this occasion, SDM Gurdev Singh, Civil Surgeon Dr. Shelly Jaitley, District Leprosy Officer Dr. Rajiv, District Social Security Officer Varinder Singh Tiwana, District Program Officer Pardeep Singh Gill, District Medical Commissioner Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Deputy DEO Dr. Ravinderpal Singh and Manvinder Kaur Bhullar, District Welfare Officer Kulwinder Kaur, Project Officer Reena Rani, Dr. Gurmanjit Kaur and Dr. Shivani from Rajindra Hospital, District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Balkar Singh along with officials from other departments were also present.