7,000 patients treated, given follow-up care at Wenlock’s Brain Health Centre

As many as 13,000 patients from across the State were screened and 7,000 have so far been treated and provided follow-up care at the Government Wenlock Hospital’s Brain Health Centre in Mangaluru since its start in December 2023, said Hospital Superintendent D.S. Shivaprakash in a press release.

The clinic was joint initiative of Department of Health and Family Welfare and NIMHANS. It was functioning under the programme Karnataka Brain Health Initiative. Dr. Shivaprakash said the clinic followed an integrated model of early screening, prompt diagnosis, and timely treatment for neurological conditions.

Dvithi Vinay Sorake, Medical Officer of the Clinic, said the clinic primarily focused on four major neurological disorders in the community – Epilepsy, Headache, Stroke, and Dementia. Patients with neurological condition namely Parkinson and Neuropathy were being treated by a multidisciplinary team consisting of neurologists, nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, and district coordinators.

To create awareness about brain health at the grassroots level, Dr. Sorake said around 1,500 health personnel, including medical officers, community health officers, and ASHAs, were being trained in early detection, treatment, and care of neurological disorders. Several awareness and outreach programmes have also being held for general public and students, she said.