Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, opened a crucial two-day National Workshop on Mental Health on Thursday, which aims to bring together senior officers from all states and mentoring institutes for TeleMANAS to address the issue in the nation. This is a significant step towards strengthening the mental health infrastructure in India. Additionally, Dr. Paul announced the combination of TeleMANAS and the KIRAN Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline. Since its launch in September 2020 alongside TeleManas, the National Tele Mental Health Helpline, the KIRAN Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline has assisted over 1,27,390 callers, according to the Ministry of Health.
Since its launch on October 10, 2022, World Mental Health Day, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Tele-Manas has processed 6,75,000 calls and has seen an exponential increase in the number of service seekers, according to the government. By promoting a smooth transition and wide public awareness about the merger process, the two companies hope to maximize resources, improve service quality, and address India’s growing need for mental health support. This is according to the Health Ministry. Calls from KIRAN will be routed to TeleMANAS for the next three months, after which the original helpline will be gradually discontinued.
Speaking at the function, Dr. Paul stated that the nation needed a “Jan Andolan” in which the public, NGOs, and government all came forward to raise awareness of mental health issues. In order to make India a healthy country, I am pleading with everyone to unite around mental health issues through a “Jan Andolan.” He stated that in order to win this cause, everyone—the government, the community, NGOs, individuals, etc.—must be on board. Dr. Paul went on to say that the workshop will assist in identifying strategies for addressing mental health-related concerns via the nation’s network of advanced primary healthcare facilities, the Ayushman Aarogya Mandir.
He went on to say that the powerful structure of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir could be very important and helpful in reaching all over the country.
Creative approaches, such as special education and appropriate care and treatment, may aid in the resolution of mental health concerns pertaining to children, according to Dr. Rajesh Aggarwal. Three handbooks were released on the occasion: the Central Mental Health Authority’s Training Manual for Mental Healthcare Professionals; the Manual for Caregivers and Reference; and the Training Manual for Implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. These guides are intended to be an essential tool for deciphering the complex provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017. These handbooks provide thorough guidance on navigating the legal regulations surrounding mental health care in India and are designed with legal aid suppliers, mental health practitioners, and caregivers in mind.
