New Delhi, 18 May

Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Saturday inaugurated the capital’s first dedicated brain health clinic at the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, promising “district-level access" to neurological treatment and rehabilitation within the next year, officials said.

Set up under India's Brain Health Initiative with support from NITI Aayog and technical partner IHBAS, the clinic will offer screening and therapy for stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's, dementia, migraine and other disorders, along with counselling and tele-neurology links for follow-up care, a statement said.

“This is not just a facility, it is a mission. Whenever you face a brain-related problem, come here. Don't hide or delay treatment. Similar centres will be opened in every district,” Singh said.

Neurological conditions are already the world's second-biggest cause of death and the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), the statement said.

Delhi plans to replicate the Dwarka model across all the 11 districts in the capital, combining clinics with lifestyle-modification counselling and caregiver support, while IHBAS will train the staff and monitor the outcomes, it said.

The initiative aligns with the recommendations of NITI Aayog's National Task Force on brain health chaired by IHBAS Director Rajinder Kumar Dhamija.

It is backed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's commitment to building a "future-ready" health system, the statement said.