The ambitious project of Karnataka government with the National Institute of Mental Health Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for training of district medical officers through video conferencing is yet to take off.

The project is conceived to train the medical officers for appointing as nodal officers all over the state. NIMHANS is expected to the responsibility of training psychiatrists and neurologists throughout the State.

Informed sources here said that there is an inordinate delay in the State government giving a nod to the project. There is a lukewarm response by the State government, which insists that the project is still in a 'fluid state,'

Pending the State's approval, the project if implemented would ensure that patients all over the State in need of medical attention need not travel all the way to Bangalore, Dr. D Nagaraj, director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences told pharmabiz.com

“In principle the government has agreed to train the doctors as the first step in this direction. The training should commence in June 2003”, said Dr. Nagaraj.

When the government can easily tie-up with private organisations like the Narayana Hrudayalaya, a leading cardiac care in the outskirts of Bangalore to provide similar services for cardiac care, why cannot the initiative be put forward by NIMHANS be taken up, queried senior doctors at NIMHANS who are enthusiastic about the project.

According to Dr. Nagaraj, ISRO has already been allocated funds and it spends nearly Rs.1, 000 crore on similar projects nationwide. “Keeping this in mind the State government does not need to spend much. The hesitation displayed despite successful meetings with senior bureaucrats and officials from the Karnataka Health department is quite surprising, he added.

When a similar set-up can be approved for a private entity, the State government should allow us to go ahead, he said. “After all when it is possible to link up a private hospital like Narayana Hrudayalaya, NIMHANS which can use the same infrastructure can be linked too,” expressed Dr. Nagaraj. “We being a part of the government are focussed on social welfare and with a non-profit motto,” he said substantiating his claims that the project devised by NIMHANS to up-link specialists in Bangalore to all districts in the State is to be given top priority.

The State government has given a nod to the three-month training programme for nearly 250 in-house doctors (doctors on government rolls), out of which 27 mental health specialists in Bangalore to all districts in the State will be trained at NIMHANS. Out of these 12 neurologists, 12 psychiatrists and three neuro surgeons will be trained at Bangalore in the first stage, beginning June 2003.They are to go back to the district and taluk headquarters armed with their training to co-ordinate directly with specialists at NIMHANS, he said.

If the State government's approval comes through, the hospitals in the district will be given computers linked to NIMHANS with digital cameras and VSAT technology to facilitate the exchange of vital information.

“This eliminates the patient having to travel all the way to Bangalore and all the necessary information, starting from basic medical records to specialists opinion can be transmitted on-line. The government has to urgently act on our proposal, which will go a long way to help the mentally ill through out the State, Dr. Nagaraj said.