‘You Are Not Alone' — Govt Ramps Up Tele-MANAS Mental Health Helpline For Air Crash Victims
'You Are Not Alone' — Govt Ramps Up Tele-MANAS Mental Health Helpline For Air Crash Victims
Last Updated: India Videos
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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
'No Indian Should Be Out of Network — Digitally or Medically, as India Advances from Digital Dependence to Digital Dominance': Union Minister Dr Chandra Shekhar
New Delhi: Reflecting on India's rapid transformation in both digital connectivity and healthcare access, Union Minister Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar declared that the country has moved from 'digital dependence to digital dominance' over the past decade — with sweeping gains in affordable mobile internet, world-leading 5G rollout, and the scaling up of Ayushman Bharat , now the world's largest public health insurance programme. 'No Indian should ever be out of network — digitally or medically,' the minister said, calling for industry and public partnerships to bridge the last-mile gaps in rural healthcare and digital inclusion . Speaking at the inaugural edition of ETHealthworld FutureMed X - The Smart Patient Care Summit, Dr. Chandra Sekhar, who has worked extensively across both telecom and healthcare sectors, emphasised how connectivity and care are becoming twin pillars of India's progress. Turning to healthcare, the minister highlighted that the Ayushman Bharat scheme has become the world's largest public health insurance programme, having provided more than nine crore cashless treatments worth ₹1.25 lakh crore. He noted that out-of-pocket healthcare expenses in India have fallen significantly, from 62 per cent to 39.4 per cent, easing financial pressure on millions of households, particularly in rural areas. Over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres have been established to bring quality primary care closer to communities. India's healthcare workforce has also expanded considerably, with over one lakh doctors graduating annually and postgraduate medical seats increasing by 127 per cent. The country now has about 13 lakh allopathic doctors and nearly 19 lakh total practitioners across systems of medicine, moving closer to WHO standards for doctor-patient ratios. However, a key challenge remains: most doctors are concentrated in urban areas, even though 60 per cent of Indians live in rural regions. India's digital healthcare infrastructure continues to grow rapidly, with 36 crore teleconsultations conducted to date, peaking at half a million consultations per day. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has integrated 55 crore health records, while the Tele-MANAS helpline now offers round-the-clock mental health support in multiple languages. An experimental COVID-era immunisation tracking app has evolved into a nationwide vaccination tracker. According to the minister, more than 95 per cent of India is now covered by 4G, with only 30,000 remote villages, largely in forests or hilly terrains, yet to be connected to 3G or 4G networks. These gaps are actively being addressed. India's mobile network today serves nearly 1.2 billion subscribers and offers the world's lowest data rates. The country also achieved the fastest 5G rollout in the world, with more than 250 million Indians already using 5G services. More than 80 per cent of the population can access 5G, provided they have compatible devices. The Union minister noted that India has also connected 2.14 lakh villages with high-speed optical fibre, with more than seven lakh kilometre of fibre already laid. However, ongoing highway and industrial works have caused frequent cable cuts. A new Rs 1.3 lakh crore project will connect another 40,000 gram panchayats, maintain and repair existing fibre, and enable 1.5 crore rural households to access affordable high-speed internet without upfront costs. To cover ultra-remote terrains, satellite communication services like Starlink have been licensed. 'This connectivity is not just about faster data; it is about faster development across sectors like education, governance, and most importantly, healthcare,' Dr. Chandra Sekhar said. Dr. Chandra Sekhar called on innovators and entrepreneurs to help tackle remaining gaps in healthcare delivery. He emphasised opportunities to expand telemedicine services in rural India, supported by networks of trained nurses and mobile medical units. He also encouraged the use of drone technology to deliver medicines and emergency supplies to underserved regions. Improving electronic prescriptions, enhancing interoperability of health records, and addressing counterfeit drug risks were also identified as key priorities. The minister said India could learn from international experiences — for instance, fragmented EMR systems in the US led to inefficiencies, while India has the opportunity to build more integrated, user-friendly systems from the start. The country's late-mover advantage could help avoid legacy mistakes and drive global best practices. He also stressed the need to strengthen preventive care, expand home-based services such as occupational therapy and hospice care, and promote workforce planning that reflects regional needs. He pointed out that mental health services — including school-based counselling — need more investment, alongside case coordination to help patients navigate India's complex healthcare system. Dr. Sekhar also suggested that India develop opportunities for mobile preventive care units (for dental, mammograms, vaccinations, screenings), create real-time medical language translation tools, and promote community health worker networks to deliver care and education in local languages. 'India should be a living laboratory for the world,' he concluded. 'Every Indian deserves global-standard healthcare — and no Indian should ever be out of network, digitally or medically.'
News18
6 days ago
- News18
‘You Are Not Alone' — Govt Ramps Up Tele-MANAS Mental Health Helpline For Air Crash Victims
'You Are Not Alone' — Govt Ramps Up Tele-MANAS Mental Health Helpline For Air Crash Victims Last Updated: India Videos : 'You are not alone' — Govt ramps up Tele-MANAS mental health helpline for air crash victims Mobile App -
News18
6 days ago
- News18
'You Are Not Alone': Govt Boosts Mental Health Helpline Tele-MANAS for Air Crash Victims
Last Updated: According to the latest posters designed to spread awareness, 'Tragic events can affect our minds deeply – even if we are not directly involved.' 'You are not alone. Help is just a call away," reads the new poster the central government has floated to support the mental health of people directly or indirectly impacted by the Air India plane crash tragedy. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is planning to intensify its mental health campaign through the Tele-MANAS helpline, 14416. The aim is to offer support to families of air crash victims as well as healthcare workers involved in the aftermath. A mild uptick of around 5 per cent in incoming calls has already been observed compared to the usual volume. Tele-MANAS is a comprehensive mental health care service available for Indians under the National Tele-Mental Health Programme of India. The public can access this helpline by dialling a toll-free number. Callers are attended to by trained counsellors and psychiatrists. 'There is roughly a jump of 5 per cent in the number of incoming calls," said Dinakaran Damodharan, assistant professor of psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru (NIMHANS). 'There has only been a slight increase in the number of calls… While this is not a huge surge, the reason could be that individuals and healthcare professionals are not fully aware of the help they can get from this helpline." On average, he said, the helpline receives around 40 calls every day, but now, there is a mild surge. When asked about the top queries of callers, Damodharan said the details of conversations are confidential and not recorded. 'Hence, it's just between the caller and the consultant." It says it's completely normal to feel 'sadness or helplessness", 'anxiety or fear", 'anger or frustration". In a subhead on 'What can you do?", it suggests: 'Talk about your feelings with someone you trust." It also advises to 'Limit how much news you watch" and 'Take deep breaths, stay grounded." Damodharan from NIMHANS advised that the helpline can be used by healthcare professionals as well as forensic experts who may be experiencing burnout, in addition to the general public and relatives of the deceased. Plan to give social media boost The government is planning a social media push to boost awareness about the free mental health support available through this helpline. While the campaign was first launched in Gujarat on the same day as the plane crash (12 June), it was gradually rolled out across India. However, the government has now decided to promote the campaign through its social media channels, widely. 'The campaign was already there, but considering the emotional toll, the team is planning to expand the awareness drive. While some states have their own Tele-MANAS profiles on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, others will use the state health department handles," said a senior official privy to the development. 'We are releasing awareness messages in Gujarati, Hindi, and English so far, but languages may be added based on inputs received by the team and the geography of incoming callers. To attend to calls related to the plane crash tragedy, the languages available at the helpline number are Gujarati, Hindi, and English."
