The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), established 160 years ago as a lunatic asylum, is today one of Asias most reputable hospitals. The multi-disciplinary hospital excels in the field of psychiatric medicine. Not surprisingly, almost 80 per cent of the psychiatrists in the country are alumni of the institute. Besides, over 1,00,000 students and trainees come to the institute every year. NIMHANS treats everything connected with the mind, brain and behavioural axis, taking a biological, psychological, rehabilitative and behavioural approach.
It was the first institute to open a mental rehabilitation centre in India. Declared a deemed university in November 1994, NIMHANS has been instrumental in developing advanced programmes in academics, research and health care.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised the institute as a referral centre for head injuries, rabies, acute viral encephalitis and mental illnesses. The institutes Viral Laboratory is also the countrys AIDS and arboviral referral centre.
Funded by the Union and Karnataka governments, it also receives grants from agencies such as the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Department of Science and Technology, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the University Grants Commission, WHO and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF).
Says Dr. D. Nagaraja, Director/Vice-Chancellor of NIMHANS: The institute has three basic functions education, services and research. In the field of education, NIMHANS has 21 departments, including biophysics, clinical psychology, epidemiology, human genetics, neuro anaesthesia, neuroimaging and interventional radiology, neuropathology, neurosurgery, psychiatric and neurological rehabilitation, psychiatry and psychopharmacology.
NIMHANS has a 912-bed hospital complete with over 1,300 staff (over 300 of whom are doctors) and six operation theatres. It treats over 1,000 outpatients and 80 casualties every day. Over half the patients get free treatment; others are charged a nominal fee.
The institutes Library and Information Centre has over 37,000 books and thousands of back volumes of journals, thesis, dissertations and research reports. The centre recently implemented the bedside (clinical resources) information support for patient care. According to Principal Librarian and Chief Information Officer Dr.H.S. Siddamallaiah, NIMHANS doctors can now access specific information on drugs, diseases and diagnosis among other things. Doctors at the institute use Evidence-Based Medicine, or the scientific medicine system.
NIMHANS has undertaken research on head injuries, epilepsy, suicides, paralytic strokes in the young, venous thrombosis and neurological complications of HIV-positive cases. It has also studied infections of the nervous system, neuro AIDS, pathology of developmental disorders, neuro oncology, the genetics of neuro-mental disorders and autism.
It has tied up with a Bangalore-based pharmaceutical company for the manufacture of Japanese encephalitis and HIV test kits and is in the process of getting its rabies test kit.
Ravi SharmaCOMMents
COMMents
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