1st mental health helpline launched

New Delhi, September 7

Recognising the massive mental healthcare gap in times if Covid, the government today launched the first-ever national mental health rehabilitation helpline to encourage people to seek help.

The helpline — 18005990019 — will be toll free, operational 24X7 and manned by trained psychiatrists from India’s 25 mental healthcare institutions, including eight national institutions. Launching the helpline in 13 languages, including Hindi, English, Gujarati, Punjabi and Assamese, today, the government conceded a disturbing fact — the mental healthcare gap in India is a whopping 70 to 92 per cent. — TNS