Care and Rehab of the mentally ill

Since 2004, the mentally ill in the villages are identified and treated in community-based camps. They are followed-up at home, their caregivers are given training and rehab programmes are worked out. Awareness on mental illness is increasing both because of the improvement shown by those treated and awareness programmes held in the villages. As the first step towards the mentally ill receiving treatment at the Government set up, they are now referred to and registered at the Government hospital in Vellore. There are parallel efforts through voluntary networks at the State level to urge availability of medicines for the mentally ill in the local Primary Health Centres, as also for training the doctors in Primary Health Centres in the treatment of mentally ill.