The government of India recently introduced a mobile application known as MANAS, or Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System. The intention behind this initiative is to support mental well-being across all age groups. Acting as a national program, it has been endorsed by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). PM-STIAC is an overarching council that assists the Principal Scientific Adviser’s Office to assess the status of specific science and technology domains, comprehend the challenges, formulate interventions, develop a roadmap for the future and ultimately, advise the Prime Minister.
The Essence of MANAS
MANAS is essentially a comprehensive, scalable, national digital wellbeing platform and an app designed to boost the mental well-being of Indian citizens. It is a seamless integration of health and wellness efforts by various government ministries, scientifically validated indigenous tools with gamified interfaces developed by various national bodies and research institutions. The platform functions based on life skills and core psychological processes, and it is universally accessible. It delivers age-appropriate methods and promotes a positive attitude focusing on wellness.
How MANAS Was Developed
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) of Bengaluru, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) of Pune and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) of Bengaluru were all involved in the development of MANAS.
Who are the Beneficiaries of MANAS
The platform caters to the overall well-being of all age groups, although the initial version of MANAS is particularly focused on promoting positive mental health within the age group of 15-35 years.
Objective of MANAS
The aim of MANAS is to build a healthier, happier community and empower it to nurture innate potential for building a Swasth (healthy) and Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat (India). The motto of MANAS is ‘Uttam Mann, Saksham Jan’ which translates to ‘excellent mind, capable people’.
Understanding Mental Health in India
A report published by The Lancet Psychiatry in February 2020 revealed that in 2017, there were 197.3 million people with mental disorders in India. The most common among them were depressive disorder (45.7 million) and anxiety disorder (44.9 million). The contribution of mental disorders to the total Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in India escalated from 2.5% in 1990 to 4.7% in 2017. A majority of these DALYs were contributed by depressive and anxiety disorders.
Other Examples of Indian Initiatives to Improve Mental Health
Over the years, there have been several other attempts to improve mental health in India. For instance, the Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) 2017 came into effect in 2018 to meet the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ratified by India in 2007. Another example is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment’s initiative named KIRAN, a 24/7 toll-free helpline offering support to individuals dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health concerns.
The Way Forward
While developing applications like MANAS is a crucial step towards catering to citizens’ mental well-being, it must be integrated with public health schemes such as the National Health Mission, Poshan Abhiyan, e-Sanjeevani, and others for widespread use. Furthermore, the application should ideally be multilingual to cater to a diverse population. Increasing the number of psychologists and psychiatrists, and addressing the stigma and awareness surrounding mental health are equally critical. While these issues are closely interconnected, they need to be addressed parallelly in order to effectively tackle the burden of mental illness.