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Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter

THE Mental Health Tribunal Board is set to review cases of mental health patients in correctional and rehabilitation institutions during its first sitting next week.

The Mental Health review tribunal was established in terms of section 75 of the mental health act of 1996. Its aim is to improve the care of detained patients especially in correctional institutions.

The board chaired by Justice Cheda was appointed in 2020.

Mr Fabian Musoro National Mental Health Manager in the Ministry of Health and Child Care said: “The Mental Health bureau will have its first sitting on July 27 to 29 2021. This is after its appointment in 2020. The Mental Health review tribunal was established in terms of section 75 of the mental health act of 1996. Its aim is to improve the care of detained patients especially in correctional institutions.”

Mr Musoro said the sitting would help decongest correctional facilities around the country to fight Covid-19.

“The sitting comes at a time that the world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and it is important to practice preventative measures against the spread of the viral disease in prisons, by practising social distance. But overcrowding in these institutions make it impossible, hence the need to decongest the facilities.

The board last sat in 2019 April and current board is being chaired by Justice Cheda. The coming in of this tribunal sitting is very important to our department of mental health because it serves a critical role in taking care of patients in institutions that are currently overpopulated,” said Mr Musoro.

-@bonganinkunzi