ABSTRACT
This chapter examines whether the Mental Health Care Act of 2017, approved by the Indian Parliament, will help fulfil the country’s commitment to sustainable development goals 3 (SDG3). SDG3 encompasses the right to health and wellbeing and acknowledges that the fulfilment of this goal would need to be evaluated both from the standpoint of the persons providing the service and the persons receiving it. The creation of infrastructure, the training of health personnel, the provision of services, and the availability of drugs and other therapies at an affordable cost, are all initiatives required for good health. The Act creates the framework for mental health care by laying down the principles which should guide the provision of mental health care and the entitlements of the persons accessing the system. Ensuring equality between physical and mental illness in the matter of services is emphasised zealously in the Act.
