New Delhi: Exam stress, workplace pressure, anxiety, sleep problems and relationship difficulties are among the concerns for which people are turning to India’s national mental health helpline, Tele-MANAS, which has received nearly 48 lakh calls in four years.
The figures offer a glimpse of the need for accessible mental health support, even as a new World Health Organization (WHO) guide warns that the global shift from hospital-centred care to community-based services remains far from complete.
Released ahead of World Mental Health Day, the WHO guide found that 81% of countries continue to provide mental health services in psychiatric hospitals, while only 9% have completed the transition to community-based care. Another 53% remain at an early stage of the shift.
The gap is particularly striking in the WHO South-East Asia region, where 63% of countries are still at an early stage of transition and none has completed it, according to the report’s regional assessment. The figures are regional and do not represent India’s individual status.
The consequences of hospital-centred care are reflected in the duration of admissions. The report found that 28% of people admitted to psychiatric hospitals stay for more than six months, while 16% remain for over a year. It also estimates that 47% of mental health expenditure goes to psychiatric hospitals, although this figure is based on data from only 49 countries.
The WHO calls for mental healthcare to be delivered closer to people’s homes, supported by community services, rehabilitation, housing and continued clinical care. It cautions that deinstitutionalisation cannot mean simply closing hospitals or discharging patients without follow-up. Without adequate planning and support, people risk being neglected or losing access to care.
In India, Tele-MANAS has received 47,75,644 calls since its launch on October 10, 2022. Of the 13.35 lakh caller profiles analysed by the Union Health Ministry, 73.2% belonged to people aged 18-45. Men accounted for 54.18% of the profiles and women 43.78%.
The free, confidential service is available round the clock on 14416, through 53 operational cells covering all 36 States and Union Territories. The government has also sanctioned the District Mental Health Programme in 767 districts and integrated mental health services into more than 1.83 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
