The fact that 1116 cases of mental illness are being treated by primary health centres in Karnataka in the first two months itself of the implementation of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in four districts in the state shows how such a programme was essential and needed in rural areas. Mental health was always given less importance than it deserved. This is because either mental illness was not considered serious enough by families or minor ailments like depression, which could lead to complications or even suicide, were often ignored.  The mentally ill are vulnerable, abused and the neglected sections of society and because of the nature of their illness, form a voiceless population.  In villages, with illiteracy and superstition being rampant, people depend on faith healers to treat mental illnesses, often tramautising the mentally ill with exorcism. A World Bank report has revealed that about 2 –3 per cent of the population suffer from serious mental disorders or epilepsy and most of these patients live in rural areas.
Continuing to face an acute shortage of mental health professionals, the Central government’s National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) launched in 1982 came as shot in the arm. The programme aimed at integrating mental health with primary health care. A year earlier, in 1981, the National Institute ot Mental Health and Neruo Sciences (NIMHANS) had developed the Bellary model, wherein they trained all the primary health centre professionals, including doctors, nurses and others in identifying patients, treating them with medication and following them up. This model was proposed to the Planning Commission as the NMHP and implemented in 27 districts in five states during the Ninth Plan. After an evaluation of the programme in 2003 and based on NIMHANS’ recommendations, the ministry of health expanded the programme in the Tenth Plan to 100 more districts.
The NMHP however needs to devote as much time to prevention as much as it has to cure.  What is also important about the NMHP is the effort to eradicate stigmatisation of mentally ill patients and protect their rights.  Besides training workers in the mental health team at identified nodal institutes in the state, part of the strategy was aimed at increasing awareness and reducing stigma. Sensitising people, specially against going to faith healers who exploit the ignorance of the villagers, should continue to be an important component of the programme.