Tele-MANAS to Community Models : India’s Fight Against Suicide
Context
Recently, a 25-year-old MBBS graduate from Hyderabad was saved from an attempted suicide after contacting the Tele-MANAS helpline. This case underlines both the magnitude of suicide in India and the critical role of accessible mental health services in saving lives.
What is Suicide?
- Definition: Suicide is the voluntary and intentional act of ending one’s own life.
- Complex issue: It is not merely a mental health disorder, but also shaped by social, cultural, biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
- Social roots: Poverty, discrimination, gender inequity, and isolation are important underlying causes.
Challenges in Suicide Prevention
- Shortage of professionals
- India has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 1,00,000 people, much lower than the WHO standard of 3 per 1,00,000.
- Severe shortage of clinical psychologists and psychiatric nurses.
- Example: In Kerala, this shortage is a critical barrier in mental health care.
- Inadequate resources
- Many helplines operate with limited staff, poor infrastructure, and restricted hours.
- Counsellors often lack specialised training.
- Inaccessibility and high cost
- Despite some reduction in stigma, mental health care remains costly and difficult to access.
- Example: In Kolkata, even working professionals with depression face difficulty accessing timely help.
Measures Taken by States
- Karnataka
- Suicide rate: 20.2 per lakh population (2022) vs national average of 12.4.
- SURAKSHA Project (under N-SPRITE): Community-based suicide prevention with NIMHANS, state govt., and corporate partners.
- Kerala
- Jeevanraksha programme: Trains community gatekeepers to spot warning signs, give psychological first aid, and refer cases.
- Additional district-level mental health programmes, including one for post-partum depression.
- Tamil Nadu
- Tele-MANAS integration with School Education and Social Welfare helplines.
- Strengthened District Mental Health Programme, improving accessibility and reducing stigma.
The Way Forward
- Acknowledging the problem
- Suicide must be seen as a public health and social issue, not just a psychiatric one.
- Addressing systemic causes
- Focus on poverty alleviation, employment, gender justice, and social inclusion.
- Timely interventions
- Build an ecosystem of empathy, inclusion, and rapid support.
- Urgency: 1.7 lakh suicides in 2022 and 1.8 million Tele-MANAS calls (till Feb 2025).
- Strengthening resources
- Increase government funding for trained human resources, awareness campaigns, and infrastructure.
- Community participation
- Expand school and college-level mental health programmes.
- Train community volunteers to act as first responders.
- Tackle stigma through awareness campaigns.
Conclusion
Suicide in India is both a mental health crisis and a social challenge. While initiatives like Tele-MANAS, SURAKSHA, and Jeevanraksha show promise, a comprehensive strategy is required. This must combine policy reforms, increased funding, professional training, and community-based interventions. Only through such an integrated approach can India effectively reduce its high suicide burden and ensure mental well-being for all.
Source : The Hindu
