Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 38,000 people received health advice on call through the Tele MANAS helpline operated by AIIMS Bhopal in a year.
To use the facility, a person has to call the helpline. Initially, a counsellor talks to the patient and then according to the problem, the call is transferred to a specialist.
The patient is given information about the nearby health centre, civil hospital or district hospital. With this, the patient is given the option to consult the doctor through e-Sanjeevani i.e. video call. The facility of Tele MANAS is mostly used by those suffering from depression.
Executive director of AIIMS Bhopal, prof Dr Ajay Singh said, “To improve mental health, we need to create a strong support system and also remove the misconceptions prevalent in the society regarding this.”
There are some use cases that will help people understand the usefulness of this feature. A 17-year-old youth was complaining of frequent thoughts, overthinking, depression, loss of interest in activities and irregular compliance for the last eight years and his class 12 board exams were approaching. Due to which he was more stressed and worried about the future.
The counsellor encouraged him to express his feelings and emotions, which were troubling him for a long time. Apart from this, his safety was ensured with the presence of his family members (father).
Additionally, medication adherence, sleep and daily routine were improved for patients and caregivers. Also, suggestions were given for a balanced diet, proper rest and regular exercise. After this he was referred for tier 2. On a follow-up call, the patient said that he had gone to a hospital in Indore. Following the advice given by Tele MANAS counsellor, treatment has also been started.
Dr. Vijender Singh, professor, AIIMS Bhopal, said, the Tele-MANAS programme aims to reduce the huge treatment gap (currently 70-80%) for mental health problems in the country. In Madhya Pradesh, two Tele-MANAS cells are located in Indore and Gwalior.”
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