For early diagnosis of mental diseases and disorders, the Karnataka government has partnered with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and Niti Aayog to screen and treat mental health patients. Further, the state’s health and family welfare department is coming up with a vision document which lays down a comprehensive roadmap for the overhaul of public healthcare at all three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary.

The Covid phase together with the third wave of the pandemic gripping the state, the government felt it was of utmost importance to give considerable attention to brain health. The state is known for a rising number of mental diseases and disorders impacting all age groups. These include epilepsy, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Parkinson, transient ischemic attack, apart from brain cancer.

Brain health initiative, a first-of-its-kind move in the country was launched in Karnataka.

Mental health screening is a must for all, said Dr. K Sudhakar, minister health and family welfare.

This brain health initiative is being rolled out in Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts on pilot basis. Under this programme doctors will be trained in screening and treating mental health patients.

Ever since the beginning of pandemic, our government is 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 engaged in this task by taking mental healthcare to the people. Under this brain health initiative even general physicians will be trained on mental healthcare, he added.

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, said the health and family welfare minister.

With regards to the health document, Dr Sudhakar said that 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. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai will complete six months in office on January 28 and will release the vision document on the occasion.

People naturally have big expectations from budget. We are in an unprecedented situation where we have to categorise the entire economy into pre-Covid and post-Covid periods. Yet both Union and State Budgets will be people-friendly and will provide necessary stimulus for overall development, he said.