Karnataka launches programme to screen and treat mental health patients

Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar launched the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative, a first-of-its-kind plan in India undertaken by NIMHANS in association with Niti Aayog. Under this programme, doctors will be trained in screening and treating mental health patients.

Speaking at the virtual launch program, Sudhakar said that the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative is being rolled out in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts on a pilot basis.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, our government has been helping people to cope with mental health issues in association with NIMHANS. We have conducted thousands of mental health counseling sessions with Covid-infected persons and their family members. Since mental health has a bearing on physical health and overall wellness of the individual, we need to ensure that everyone is aware about mental health issues and NIMHANS is doing a very good job in taking mental healthcare to the people. Under this Brain Health Initiative, even general physicians will be trained on mental healthcare,” the minister said.

Sudhakar added that there is a need to even screen newborn babies for mental health issues. “Due to various socio-economic factors, genetic and family issues, many people suffer from mental health issues. This will have an impact on their day-to-day lives and quality of life. Therefore, we need more doctors trained in mental healthcare,” he said.

He informed the state health department is coming up with a vision document which will lay down a comprehensive roadmap for overhaul of public health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. “There are about 30 senior experts from various disciplines who are working on this report and about 750 experts have contributed to this over the last one year. The chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will complete six months in office on January 28 and he will release the vision document on this occasion,” he said.

Commenting on the budget expectations, Sudhakar said, “We are in an unprecedented situation where we have to categorise the entire economy into pre-Covid and post-Covid periods. I am confident that both Union and State Budgets will be people-friendly and will provide necessary stimulus for overall development.”