Bengaluru, Oct 10 (PTI) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Monday launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme named as Tele MANAS to improve mental health service delivery in the country.

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The service was launched during the 26th convocation of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

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"The primary objective of this ambitious programme is to provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental healthcare through tele-mental health services across the Indian States and UTs with assured linkages," a government statement said.

The initiative includes a network of Tele MANAS Cells, Mental Health Centres of Excellence and Regional Coordinating Centres encompassing NIMHANS, Bengaluru; IHBAS Delhi; PGIMER, Chandigarh; CIP Ranchi and LGBRIMH, Tezpur, the statement read.

The NIMHANS will serve as the Apex Nodal Coordinating Centre, while International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru (IIIT-B) will provide technological support, it said.

National Health Systems Resources Centre (NHSRC), Delhi will be another Apex Centre to guide the States and UTs on health systems. All these agencies will work in collaboration with the 51 Tele MANAS Cells in States and Union Territories.

"Tele MANAS Cells will provide basic support, counselling and mental health services, as well as linkages with mental health professionals, eSanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres and Emergency Psychiatric facilities. Ultimately, this will become a programme focused on the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness and integrate all systems that provide mental health care," the statement said.

Further it said the Tele MANAS services will begin in 20 States, Union Territories and eventually be expanded across the country.

Toll-free helpline numbers: 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 have been set up in various parts of the country, allowing callers to select the language of their choice for availing the services. The calls would be routed to Tele MANAS Cells in the respective State and Union Territory, the statement read.

Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said the Union government has launched the brand new T-Manas programme which is based on Karnataka's E-Manas platform.

The State initially launched a tele-counselling programme in association with NIMHANS when the pandemic first struck, Sudhakar said adding that the primary objective was to address the stress caused due to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

The initiative saw immense success and the Karnataka government also experimented an online counselling for students at a time when the class 10 results were announced in the State. Karnataka has completed 23 lakh tele-counselling till date, he added.

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