Neurological experts in short supply

PUDUCHERRY: Doctors serving in primary health centres need to be trained in diagnosis and treatment of common neurological disorders to address the growing number of such cases in the country,  Dr M Gauri Devi, professor of neurology at the Indian Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied  Sciences, New Delhi, said here on Saturday.The former director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore said this while delivering a guest lecture organised by the Department of Neurology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER).  At present, 30 million persons are said to be suffering from neurological disorders in the country, which has also been hit by a paucity of neurologists, Dr Gauri pointed out. Elaborating further, she said that it has been observed that neurological disorders in rural areas were double the number in urban areas  (4,070 in rural areas as against 2,190 in urban localities). However, to tackle this enormous burden, there is a disproportionately small number of specialist neurologists, she said, while adding that at present, there were just 1,200 neurologists in the country.  Dr Gauri said that the ratio of neurologists to the population was 1:1,000,0000 in India, 1:35,000 in the US and 1:170,000 in the UK.  It has been estimated that with 200 neurologists being trained in the country annually, it would take more than five decades for India to meet its requirements.Common ailments like epilepsy, headache, stroke and convulsions with fever in children, constitute about 70 per cent of all neurological disorders in the country, she said.  “Many of these can be diagnosed and treated by primary care physicians who are trained by neurologists over a short period of time.  Thus, the main  burden of neurological disorders in the community can be addressed by the doctors in the periphery and only those patients who require special diagnostic tests and treatment can be referred to medical colleges or apex centres,” Dr Gauri suggested. JIPMER medical superintendent Dr A K Das and Neurology department HOD Dr Sunil Narayanan also spoke on the occasion.