Nimhans wants bigger budget, manpower

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) wants a higher budget to bolster its existing facilities and to open new centres.

The institution is also seeking higher manpower to take care of increase in patient population especially at its trauma centre and is also looking to reach 1,000 beds in the near future.

Nimhans director Dr P Satishchandra told Deccan Herald that the institute has new, increasing needs to address. “Nimhans now gets around Rs 280 crore funding from the Centre and State together. Nimhans gets 30 per cent of what AIIMS Delhi gets (over Rs 600 crore) and 50 per cent of what JIPMER Chandigarh gets (around Rs 450-550 crore). We would like a hike if we cannot get what AIIMS and JIPMER get. We are looking at a budget of Rs 350-400 crore. With the additional funds, we can increase space and beds for rehabilitation and recovery of patients. Some proposals are under consideration. We have to wait.”

The 12th Five Year Plan has mentions a figure of Rs 350 crore for Nimhans. The institute will increase beds in psychiatry, neurosciences and neurology. At present the institute has an overall 888 beds. The additional beds, if sanctioned, would aid the institute cross 1,000 beds and to treat a higher number of patients.

The institute receives over 100 patients every day at the trauma centre (sometimes its about 130 a day) because of which it is forced to send back many patients to other hospitals. All beds would be occupied and in order not to waste time for patients, medical personnel inform people that it would be better to seek treatment at private hospitals. The trauma centre is always full because the charge is nominal and patients coming in from rural Bangalore and other parts find it a great relief.

The Northern campus of Nimhans off Hennur Road has taken off with the construction of a compound wall around the land which is over 40 acres. Dr Satishchandra said the northern campus is part of Nimhans’ expansion plans.

“We will start a poly-trauma centre which will take care of all kinds of traumatic injuries, not restricted only to head injuries. We want the new centre to treat orthopaedic, facial, dental, head and internal injuries.

It will be modelled on the Jayaprakash Narayan Centre, attached to AIIMS, New Delhi. Patients from north and north east Bangalore, Chikkaballapur, Doddaballapur and Hoskote, can approach the northern campus, get quicker treatment and cut travel time to the south campus.”