MENTAL TREATMENT

CHAPTER 34:02
MENTAL TREATMENT

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

PART I
RECEPTION OF PERSONS IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL

    3.    Reception into a mental hospital

PART II
VISITING COMMITTEE

    4.    Appointment of visiting committees

    5.    Duty of visitors

PART III
VOLUNTARY PATIENTS

    6.    Power to receive voluntary patients

    7.    Notification of reception or death or departure of voluntary patient to visiting committee

    8.    Voluntary patient not to be detained for more than forty days

PART IV
TEMPORARY TREATMENT WITHOUT RECEPTION ORDER

    9.    Provision for temporary treatment without certificate of certain persons

    10.    Minister’s powers of discharge

PART V
RECEPTION ORDERS

    11.    Application for reception order

    12.    Application by whom to be presented

    13.    Procedure upon petition for reception order

    14.    Detention of person alleged to be of unsound mind pending inquiry

    15.    Consideration of petition

    16.    Order

    17.    Powers and duties of police in respect of wandering or dangerous persons of unsound mind and such persons cruelly treated or not under proper care and control

    18.    Duty of custodian of person of unsound mind

    19.    Power of magistrate

    20.    Reception order in case of wandering and dangerous persons

    21.    Detention of person alleged to be of unsound mind pending report by medical practitioner

    22.    Issue of medical certificates

    23.    Detention of person alleged to be of unsound mind pending removal to mental hospital

    24.    Power to summon custodian of person suffering from mental disorder

    25.    Time and manner of medical examination of person

    26.    Authority for reception

    27.    Power to order detention outside jurisdiction

PART VI
DISCHARGE OF PATIENTS FROM, AND TRANSFERS TO, MENTAL HOSPITALS

    28.    Order of discharge from mental hospital

    29.    Order of discharge to an approved institution

    30.    Appointment and report of medical inspector

    31.    Order of discharge and undertaking of relative for due care of the person of unsound mind

    32.    Transfer of patients

PART VII
JUDICIAL POWER OVER PERSONS AND ESTATES OF PERSONS OF UNSOUND MIND OR IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL

    33.    Safe-keeping and management of estates of persons in mental hospitals

    34.    Power of manager in respect of estate

    35.    Power to make order concerning any matter connected with the person

    36.    Power to apply property for maintenance of person of unsound mind without appointing manager in certain cases

    37.    Powers of Court in regard to property of person where no manager is appointed

    38.    Power to order transfer of property of person of unsound mind residing out of Malawi

    39.    Execution of conveyances and powers by manager under order of Court

    40.    Carrying on business of person of unsound mind

    41.    (1) Managers to furnish inventory and annual accounts

        (3) Removal of managers and guardians

    42.    Termination of appointment of manager

    43.    Proceedings to cease or to be set aside if Court finds that the unsoundness of mind has ceased

    44.    Examination of females

    45.    Court procedure

PART VIII
SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO MAINTENANCE

    46.    Application of property in the possession of a person of unsound mind found wandering

    47.    Application to civil court for order for the payment of cost of maintenance out of the estate of the person of unsound mind

    48.    Certain maintenance costs to be met from public funds

    49.    Saving of liability of relatives to maintain person of unsound mind

    50.    Pension of person of unsound mind payable by Government

PART IX
GENERAL

    51.    Inquests on patients

    52.    Death of person discharged to approved institution or breach of a condition by such person to be reported

    53.    Letters of patients

    54.    Power to refuse accommodation at mental hospital

    55.    No liability in respect of act done in good faith in pursuance of this Act

    56.    Who may not give certificates

    57.    Amendment of order or certification

    58.    Person received into mental hospital to be detained until discharged

PART X
OFFENCES

    59.    Persons other than medical practitioner signing certificate

    60.    False certificates

    61.    Escape of person of unsound mind

    62.    Permitting patient to quit mental hospital unlawfully

    63.    Ill-treatment of persons in mental hospital

    64.    Dealings with patients

    65.    Prohibition on publishing names of parties

    66.    General penalty

PART XI
RULE MAKING POWERS

    67.    Rules

PART XII
SAVING

    68.    Saving

14 of 1948
41 of 1953
30 of 1969
G.N. 186/1954(F)
101/1956(F)
224/1963
219/1964(N)
166/1967

    An Act to make provision for the care of persons who are suffering from mental disorder or mental defect, for the custody…