The State Health Department is contemplating extending the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (Ka-BHI) to all districts. Recognising the need to improve treatment and prevent neurological disorders in the community, the Health Department in association with NIMHANS and Niti Aayog launched Ka-BHI in January. NIMHANS has trained 100 doctors at the PHC level for brain health clinics in Bengaluru South, Kolar and Chickballapur districts, which were chosen for the pilot project.
State Health Commissioner Randeep D. told The Hindu that he has asked NIMHANS to submit a proposal on replicating the Ka-BHI model in the remaining 27 districts.
“The idea is to diagnose and treat neurological issues from the grassroots level of primary health centres to secondary-level district hospitals, and then NIMHANS at the tertiary level. We have learnt from NIMHANS doctors that half of the patients who come to the institution from the districts can be attended to at the local health facility,” he said.
