Karnataka government has abruptly discontinued its regular grant of funds to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) from the current financial year. The State government was expected to provide funds to the tune of Rs. 8.1 crore before March 31, 2004 as against an allocation of Rs. 11.9 crore last year.

NIMHANS is yet to get any communication from the state government about the non-allocation of funds for the year. Instead, it has suggested to the Institute to increase the user charges of patients. The state government further indicated to all autonomous healthcare facilities including Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and the Sanjay Gandhi Accident Relief Hospital that they must look at the option of self-funding.

However, the Central government has offered a Rs. 6 crore grant to NIMHANS this year for meeting its expenditure. "Until now there has been no funds released by the State government. Funding a premier mental health facility has now become a political decision which the central and state governments have to discuss," said Dr. D Nagaraja, director and vice chancellor NIMHANS.

"The central government's grant, in this context, has come as a major relief to us although the state government has not honoured its promise," said Dr. Nagaraja.

As an autonomous healthcare facility, NIMHANS receives funding from both central and state governments. The Central government has been granting a financial assistance of Rs. 34 crore. Out of this Rs.24 crore is allocated under plan expenditure and Rs. 14.5 crore under non-plan expenditure category. In the case of State government, the budget allocated towards NIMHANS has not been regular under plan and non-plan category, informed Dr. Nagaraja.

Acknowledging that while things were manageable for the present at NIMHANS, he said," we need to ensure that we receive sufficient funds next year to meet our requirement".

Between March 2002-April 2003, NIMHANS has provided treatment to 3.7 lakh patients. There is a regular annual expense of around Rs. 3 crore spent for purchase of drugs. But this year, the Institute allocated Rs.2 crore. The hospital will faace a shortfall in certain drugs because of the Rs.1 crore deficit. With patients increasing by 10 per cent every year and an annually rise in utility charges like power, water etc, NIMHANS is forced to put up with an additional expenditure of Rs. 6 crore annually he said.

To meet the inadequacy of funding from the two governments, NIMHANS has devised certain strategies. "Although, we will ensure to maintain the quality of service, we will need to curtail supply of drugs and surgical supplies free of cost to patients. Over 70 per cent of the patients are under the BPL (below the poverty line). Ample screening for affordability needs to be done and some hospital charges must be levied, if there is an earning member in the BPL category of patients," he stated