All You Need to Know about Tele-Manas Initiative And World Mental Health Day

On 10th October 2022 signifying an achievements in the area of mental health on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare was inaugurated virtually by Thawar Chand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, in the presence of Dr. K. Sudhakar, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education, Karnataka & Vice-President, NIMHANS.

What is World Mental Health Day?

The purpose of World Mental Health Day is to raise recognition of mental health problem globally and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
The Day gives an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

History

World Mental Health Day was remarked for the first time on 10 October 1992. It was begun as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health by the then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter.
Annually every year since 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) has organized a global campaign for World Mental Health Day.

WHO on World Mental Health Day

According to WHO, Many aspects of mental health have been challenged; and already before the pandemic in 2019 an estimated one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis for mental health, fueling short- and long-term stresses and undermining the mental health of millions. Estimates put the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25% during the first year of the pandemic. At the same time, mental health services have been severely disrupted and the treatment gap for mental health conditions has widened.
Increasing social and economic inequalities, protracted conflicts, violence and public health emergencies affect whole populations, threatening progress towards improved well-being; a staggering 84 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced during 2021.
Stigma and discrimination continue to be a barrier to social inclusion and access to the right care; importantly, we can all play our part in increasing awareness about which preventive mental health interventions work and World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to do that collectively.
WHO will work with partners to launch a campaign around the theme of Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority. This will be an opportunity for people with mental health conditions, advocates, governments, employers, employees and other stakeholders to come together to recognize progress in this field and to be vocal about what we need to do to ensure Mental Health & Well-Being becomes a Global Priority for all.

Key Facts of TELE-MANAS

To establish a digital mental health network that will withstand the challenges amplified by the covid pandemic, Government of India announced National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) in the Union Budget 2022-23. Here are some highlights of Tele-MANAS have a look.

The programme adds a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence, with NIMHANS being the nodal centre and International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIITB) providing technology support. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bengaluru and National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHRSC) will provide the technical support.
A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) has been set up across the country allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. Service is also available with 1-800-91-4416. The calls would be sent to Tele-MANAS cells in the respective state and union territory.
Tele-MANAS will be arranged in two tier system; Tier 1 comprises of state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists. Tier 2 will comprise of specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation. Presently there are 5 regional coordination centres along with 51 State/UT Tele MANAS cells.
The initial rollout providing basic support and advising through centralized Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) is being customized for use across all States and UTs. This will not only help in providing immediate mental healthcare services, but also facilitate continuum of care.
Specialised care is being envisioned through the programme by linking Tele-MANAS with other services like National tele-consultation service, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, mental health professionals, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres and emergency psychiatric facilities.
Eventually, this will include the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness, and integrate all systems that provide mental health care.
NIMHANS has conducted training for 900 Tele MANAS counsellors from majority of States/UTs.

India Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya Tweets

On Twitter, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the initiative will provide an "integrated medical and psychological intervention" and will scale up the reach of efforts of the government in this direction.
"Good mental health with Tele MANAS! PM Narendra Modi Ji's Govt launches 'Tele Mental Health Assistance & Networking across States' to provide all access to affordable mental health care in every State/UT. It will serve as the digital arm of the District Mental Health Programme," his tweet read.
Mandaviya also said the initiative - announced earlier in the Union budget - will be useful in extending services to vulnerable groups and people in the remote regions. The programme will be an integration of all systems that provide mental healthcare. It will rope in mental health experts, government's free telemedicine service eSanjeevni, Ayushman Bharat's health and wellness centres, and emergency psychiatric facilities with NIMHANS as its nodal centre.
IIT Bombay has been made a partner for giving technical support to the programme which will have five regional coordinating centres, 23 mentoring institutes, and 51 state/UT Tele- Manas cells to build a comprehensive network.