The failure of the two boards to meet curtails the rights of the mental patients. For instance there maybe patients detained unnecessarily for lengthy periods of time without recourse. With the challenges facing the Institution, constant monitoring of the rights of the mental patients as provided in the Mental Health Act is pertinent. 6.3 Separation of patients The ZHRC found that there was a clear separation and categorization of patients according sex and to the nature of their illness in compliance with the Mental Health Act [Chapter 15:12]. For example the patients were categorized and separated as follows: male and female patients were housed separately; juvenile, chronic patients; sub-acute; elderly; aggressive/violent patients and those with criminal records were respectively kept separate. This separation of patients eliminates the possibility of sexual exploitation and maintains their inherent dignity which should not be taken away upon institutionalization. 6.4 Resource Constraints From interviews conducted with senior management of the institution, the ZHRC confirmed that the hospital is facing serious financial challenges which affects service provision and the welfare and health of the patients seeking treatment and those being kept at the hospital. It was highlighted that the institution has over the years been receiving paltry budgetary allocations in batches which are far lower than their expectations. This has caused the Hospital to be always indebted to service providers and as of June 2015 the debt of the institution had sky rocketed to around USD920 000. The budgetary request for 2015 for Ingutsheni Central Hospital was USD8million but was reduced to USD498, 200 of which they have only received USD180 000 which is far below their needs. This means that the institution is seriously constrained. Unlike other institutions which charge for their services and are able to fundraise, Ingutsheni Central Hospital solely depends on government disbursements for day to day activities. From the interviews carried out it was stated that the hospital has been able to keep running because of donations. Page 12 of 22