Nimhans to expand capacity with Rs 938 crore projects

Bengaluru: The National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) held its its 28th convocation on Saturday, announcing ambitious expansion plans worth Rs 938 crore to scale up patient care and infrastructure. 

A total of 251 students received degrees and certificates, and 28 meritorious students were presented with excellence awards and medals at the ceremony. 

Addressing the convocation online, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, stressed that Nimhans must redefine patient care as a proactive, data-informed journey incorporating precision diagnostics and individualised treatment pathways, ensuring that the "standard of care a patient receives in a remote district... should not differ from what they receive here in Bengaluru." 

The minister focused on the impact of rapid technological change and the need for India-led research: 

Nirmala urged Nimhans to spearhead multidisciplinary research on the neurobiological impact of digital overload, including addictive social media algorithms and excessive smartphone dependency, which are "altering brain development and emotional regulation." 

She called on the institute to view AI as an opportunity to improve diagnostics, personalise treatment, build predictive models, and extend mental health support to the crores who currently lack access. 

Nimhans Director, Dr Pratima Murthy, presented the annual report, highlighting the institute's achievements during its Golden Jubilee year. Key facilities like the Psychiatry Specialty Block, the Central Laboratory Complex, a 3T MRI Scanner, and a DSA System were inaugurated, significantly upgrading the institute’s diagnostic and clinical capabilities. 

The institute recorded its highest-ever patient services, welcoming 6,85,960 patients over the past year and performing over 8,000 surgeries. 

A 300-bed Polytrauma Centre at the north campus was sanctioned by the Centre with a project cost of Rs 498 crore. This centre, coming up on a 40-acre plot in Kyalasanahalli, North Bengaluru, is set to provide advanced emergency and trauma care. 

Approval has also been granted for a new four-storeyed Outpatient Department (OPD) complex on the central campus, costing Rs 440 crore. This facility will house 590 clinics and consultation rooms, increasing the outpatient capacity to over 5,000 patients daily.

A Museum for Brain and Mind is also set for establishment at an estimated cost of Rs 36 crore. 

Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharan Prakash R Patil, lauded Nimhans as a "lighthouse in the world of psychiatry, neurology, psychology and neurosciences." 

Addressing the graduates, he stressed the need for human empathy alongside scientific rigor in the profession, calling them "frontline defenders of humanity" in the face of an unprecedented mental health crisis. 

Patil announced two additional mental health institutes — one in Kalaburagi and another in Mysuru — each with an initial allocation of Rs 100 crore. These new centres will be developed in partnership with Nimhans.