The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have joined forces to establish a dedicated Tele-MANAS cell at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive and specialized mental health support to armed forces personnel and their families, recognizing the unique stressors they face.
The special Tele-MANAS Cell was inaugurated by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, in the presence of senior officials from both ministries. This two-year pilot project is a digital extension of the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) and will offer free, confidential, and multilingual tele-mental health services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Addressing the Mental Health Needs of the Armed Forces
Lt General Daljit Singh, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services, emphasized the long-standing need for mental health counseling for armed forces personnel. The Tele-MANAS cell will address this need by providing easily accessible and specialized care tailored to the specific challenges faced by military personnel.Ms. Aradhna Patnaik, AS & MD of MoHFW, highlighted the importance of attending to the mental health concerns of the armed forces, acknowledging their distinct mental health requirements due to the demanding nature of their service.
