Extension of mental health service through psychiatric camps : a new approach

Psychiatric camps in the manner they are usually conducted serve no useful purpose in the long run, except to identify cases and to increase people's awareness about mental illnesses. The main drawback is poor follow up of the cases detected.To overcome these drawbacks and to make these camps more useful in delivering mental health services to the community, a new approach is being worked out. Screening and selection of the patients for the camp by the local doctors with the help of symptom check-list, a good propaganda well in advance incorporating the cardinal symptoms through mass media, training of the local doctors to gain basic skills and knowledge to manage cases during follow up, periodic visits by the psychiatrists to help these doctors in this job for some time, mental health exhibition during the camp were some of the strategies adopted in Kollegal Neuropsychiatric camp by community psychiatry unit of NIMHANS.It was a three days' camp. 312 cases were registered after screening. Only 6.7% cases were non-psychiatric. 30% epileptics, 30% neurotics, 12% Headache, 9% MR, 9% neurological cases, 5% psychoses. 25 doctors participated in training programme and camp patients were allotted to them for follow up. Monthly follow up is in progress. Findings and experiences are discussed.