Latest news with #Nimhans
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
KaBHI staff want to continue services
Mangaluru: Healthcare personnel employed under the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI) have appealed to the health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to continue their employment across all districts in the state. A delegation of KaBHI staff met the minister during a grievance meeting at the Circuit House in Mangaluru on Saturday, and submitted a memorandum. They explained that nearly 165 staff members including neurologists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, clinical psychologists, nurses, and district co-ordinators will lose their jobs if the govt conducts separate recruitments without considering the experience of those who are currently working in various districts. "We worked under the KaBHI programme since Dec 2023, after successfully writing the exam and passing the interview conducted through Nimhans. While working as per the guidelines of the Karnataka govt, we ensured that the KaBHI programme, the first brain health initiative in India, was implemented successfully in the state. However, preparations are being made to conduct fresh recruitments. Those who are working at present in all districts should be allowed to continue in the services," the delegation urged. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo They also pointed out that fresh recruitment will incur huge expenditure for the govt. "The govt will have to spend a huge amount on the appointment process, and to train the newly appointed staff. Moreover, the existing services under the KaBHI programme are also likely to be affected if all the staff are recruited afresh. We urge the govt to stop the fresh recruitments and invite applications only for the vacant posts," the delegation urged the minister. Rao contacted the officials in Bengaluru and assured the delegation that he will do the needful at the earliest.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Mental health helpline sees 28-fold rise in calls from Bengaluru in 3 years: Nimhans
Bengaluru: When 22-year-old Mahesh (name changed), a Bengaluru student dialled Tele-MANAS mental health helpline 14416, he wasn't sure if his condition warranted help. His friends brushed aside his concerns as normal stress. But for over a month, Mahesh experienced disturbed sleep and appetite, a persistent low mood, and a lack of interest in activities — which began after he got disappointing exam results.A thorough risk assessment by his Tele-MANAS counsellor revealed no red flags, but it reassured him that his issues were real and symptoms treatable. He was referred to local district mental health programme (DMHP) team. When a follow-up call was made 20 days later, Mahesh had already met a psychiatrist, started medication, and said he was feeling significantly better — mainly because someone finally took his suffering month this year, Tele-MANAS, a free phone-based mental health support service, has been receiving close to one lakh calls from across India — an almost 50-fold increase since its inception in 2022. In Bengaluru, the number of calls was 180 in 2022, which rose to 4,985 in 2024. Until May 6 this year, the helpline has received 3,123 calls. The total call volume from Karnataka until May 6 this year is 1,15,260. Among the various concerns, persistent sadness and related symptoms top the list. This kind of emotional distress accounts for nearly a quarter of all calls, according to data from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences ( Nimhans ). Operation Sindoor Pak drones enter Indian airspace, explosions heard just hours after truce deal Sirens, explosions in border districts after Pak breaks deal: What we know so far 'What happened to ceasefire?' J&K CM after explosions heard across Srinagar "People complain they feel sad due to multiple causes — from financial trouble to relationship problems," said Dr C Naveen Kumar, professor of psychiatry and head of community psychiatry at Nimhans. "But sadness disturbs their functioning and remains for a period that they consider significant. It is then they reach out to us."The largest share of callers falls in the 18 to 45 years age group. A significant portion of callers are students facing academic stress, alongside working professionals and individuals navigating relationship difficulties. Together, these groups make up nearly 19 per cent of all calls. Although the current dataset doesn't explicitly track spikes tied to specific events like exam results, Dr Kumar noted call volume from students increases during examination seasons. States like Karnataka have actively helped raise awareness by printing Tele-MANAS helpline number on school most callers benefit from brief supportive counselling, about 16.9 per cent of callers from across the country are referred for in-person evaluation through public health system — like Mahesh, whose recovery started with one phone Free 24/7 mental health support: Call 14416 to connect with a counsellorBox 2Total call volume in BengaluruYear - Total Calls2022 - 1802023 - 3,0752024 - 4,9852025 (till May 6) - 3,123Total - 11,363Who are the callersMen: 52.8%Women: 47.1%Transgender: 0.1% How old are the callers0-12 years - 3.6%13-17 years - 6.3%18-45 years - 67.6%46-64 years - 17.4%65+ years - 5.1%Common reported problemsSadness and other related symptoms - 33.3%Stress related to exam/work/relationship - 10.6%Sleep issues - 11.4%General anxiety, panic or phobias - 10.6%*Until May 6* Since most calls in Karnataka are from Bengaluru, the commonly reported mental health issues in the state is being assumed similar to that of Bengaluru *Source: Nimhans
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Indian Express
Bengaluru teen boy stripped, assaulted, filmed by ‘online' friend, aides
The Bengaluru City police have registered a case after a Class 10 boy was allegedly stripped, filmed, and blackmailed by a social media 'friend' and his associates on April 5. The 16-year-old was reportedly coerced into making false claims on video about capturing inappropriate images of girls and extorting money from them, the teen boy's mother stated in a complaint filed on April 25. According to his mother, a female friend of her son had allegedly plotted the attack against him. The complainant said that her son returned home in a visibly disturbed state of mind on April 5 after meeting a friend, Afridi (name changed), whom he befriended on social media, and locked himself up in his room. According to the police, the boy opened up to his mother after repeated persuasions that a group led by Afridi allegedly threatened to remove his clothes. 'When he resisted, they forcibly undressed him and coerced him into making a false video statement, claiming he had recorded inappropriate images of girls and extorted Rs 50,000 from one victim,' the boy's mother said in the First Information Report (FIR). The boy had previously met Afridi a few times, and about six months ago, he borrowed the victim's earbuds and mobile phone, but he only returned the phone, the complaint stated. According to the FIR, though the Class 10 boy had distanced himself from Afridi, the 'friend' met the victim on April 5, while he was riding a two-wheeler near the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru. 'Afridi entered the boy's vehicle and led him to the parking lot of a residential building where five of Afridi's friends waited. The group insisted that they would post the video on social media and share it with his peers unless he provided them Rs 10,000 the next morning. They only released him after threatening that he should not inform his mother or the police regarding the incident,' the complainant said. The woman told the police she had delayed reporting the incident to the police, fearing for her son's safety. A senior police officer said that the ages of the alleged perpetrators remain uncertain, and efforts are underway to locate the suspects. The police have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, Information Technology Act, and sections 133 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 126 (wrongful restraint), and 308 (extortion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
