Two important neurology initiatives aim to curtail neurological disorders’ prevalence.
Story so far: The Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI), NIMHANS, and the Department of Health launched the Neuro Epidemiological Study In Gowribidanur – II (NEPSIG) survey at Gowribidanur, and teleneurology services at Chikkaballapur. The two initiatives aim to improve services for neurological disorders.
- The teleneurology initiative will increase the community’s access to neurological assistance. It will extend to the rest of Karnataka within three months.
- The NEPSIG-II survey will chart the prevalence and distribution of neurological disorders and how they have changed in the past three decades.
Why it matters? Neurological disorders like strokes, dementia, and epilepsy are the second largest contributors to disability and death in India. The country’s burden of communicable and non-communicable neurological problems doubled between 1990 and 2019.
- Experts believe that early detection, accessible treatment, and prevention through lifestyle changes and better living environments can lower their prevalence effectively.