By Cathy Maulidi:
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has commenced investigations into the alleged serious human rights abuses on patients at Zomba Mental Hospital.
This follows an investigation report by Zomba Civil Society Organizations (ZCSOs) which established that some patients at the hospital suffered serious abuses that led to their deaths.
The report further reveled that violent patients at the hospital are ill-treated physically with some losing lives in the process.
ZCSO recommended that MHRC should do a thorough investigation on the matter.
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MHRC’s disability and elderly rights officer Patricia Kavinya confirmed in an interview with The Daily Times that the investigations have been launched.
“It is indeed true, we have commenced investigations into the alleged abuses of patients at the Zomba Mental Hospital and a report will be made public after the investigations.
The CSO Network’s report recommended that MHRC should also do a thorough investigation. Apart from that, the Commission is also an interested party when there is a right violation allegation. So, in this case, after the CSOs did their investigation, the commission being an interested party, has been compelled to do its own thorough investigation,” Kavinya said.
Reacting to the development, Chairperson for Zomba CSOs Network, who is also Executive Director for a governance organization; Transparency Initiative, Nicholas Mwisama expressed excitement and commended MHRC for the step taken.
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“We are excited to learn that government; through MHRC is acting on our recommendation to institute a full investigation on alleged gross human rights abuse at Zomba Mental Hospital.
“The right to life is one of the fundamental rights provided for in our laws and when this right is under threat every well-meaning individual and institution must not only get concerned but also act to protect it. This is exactly what Zomba Civil Society Organizations Network (ZCSON) did.
“We call for all individuals and institutions that will be reached out to in the MHRC investigations to share their experiences and knowledge on the subject matter without reservations because this is a great opportunity for the alleged abuses to be substantiated in detail and dealt with. We therefore look forward to the findings of the MHRC investigations,” Mwisama said.
Five mysterious deaths of patients at the hospital months ago necessitated an investigation by the Zomba based CSOs.
It was also alleged that patients at the hospital are being ill-treated by staff and that violent patients are at times beaten profusely with metal bars and other instruments.
Zomba Mental Hospital Director Dr Raphael Piringu declined to comment on the allegations and was quick to point that the police should go and arrest them if they are doing wrong things.
“I will not comment. They are saying we did wrong things. The police should just come and arrest us,” Piringu said in a previous interview.
