Tele-MANAS: Scaling up mental health support with over 1 million calls

Content Editor: Dr. Himabindu Reddy

June 6, 2024 at 2:00:00 PM

Tele-manas, Public health, Mental health, Telemedicine

At the onset, the Tele-MANAS program had a network of 23 tele-mental health centers, a NIMHANS nodal center, and technical support from IITs.
Today, it has expanded to a well-functioning network of 51 cells across the country, handling over 3,500 daily calls.
The number of callers to the Tele-MANAS helpline has risen steadily from 12,000 in 2022 to over 90,000 in May 2024, indicating a growing awareness of and appreciation for mental health services nationwide.
Last year, in April 2023, telemanas crossed the milestone of 1 lakh calls; this year, on May 29, 2024, the initiative crossed the milestone of 10 lakh calls.
This rise also emphasizes the need for steady funding and further strengthening of mental health programs to promote the overall well-being of the population.

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