Kerala High Court had earlier noted that hospitals were not described as ‘Centres of Physical Health’ and questioned why these institutions should have the ‘Mental Health’ tag.
Published Sep 02, 2026 | 6:58 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 02, 2026 | 7:22 PM
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Government Mental Health Centre, Kozhikode
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Keralam’s three mental health centres will henceforth be known as ‘Happiness and Wellness Centres’, Health Minister K Muraleedharan has announced.
The centres will also introduce programmes and facilities for stress management, yoga, meditation, art, cultural and recreational activities, in addition to treatment and counselling.
The decision follows a Kerala High Court direction in August asking the government to examine whether the institutions could be given a different name to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and the term ‘Mental Health Centres’.
The court had directed a competent government authority to examine the suggestion and inform it of the decision by September 15.
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Court points to unusual label
The issue was raised by amicus curiae Sathyasree Priya, who said the stigma attached to the term had become evident during her visits to the centres. She suggested names such as ‘Institutes of Behavioural Management’ or another appropriate alternative.
A Division Bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and Basant Balaji noted that hospitals were not described as ‘Centres of Physical Health’ and questioned why these institutions should have the ‘Mental Health’ tag.
The court said it would not prescribe any name, but stressed that the matter was important to protect vulnerable patients from social stigma and ensure that the institutions were seen as centres contributing to community welfare and development.
