E-Manas can be rolled out across country: Sudhakar

BENGALURU: Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Friday said Karnataka has conducted over 10 lakh consultations through E-Manas online mental healthcare management system, which is easing mental health access to patients. It includes tele-consultations to migrants, doctors and healthcare workers who were affected during the pandemic, he said. At the three-day 14t h “Swastya Chintan Shivir”, hosted by the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW), the apex advisory body for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) held at Kevadia, Gujarat, Sudhakar told Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya that Karnataka will integrate E-Manas with other platforms, including Ayushman Bharath-Arogya Karnataka, Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Directories and NIC’s (National Informatics Center) E-Hospital framework.

E-Manas, developed by Karnataka, was launched in June 2020 to help people with mental issues and their data is secure. E-Manas is a mobile-compatible and easy-to-use software, which can be rolled out across the country, he added. When Covid began, the government observed fear, apprehension and stigma among patients, with some taking their own lives. Through Mano Chaitanya Clinic, mental health professionals went from house to house to counsel Covid patients.

Also, 27 lakh Covid patients were tele-counseled with help from NIMHANS, he said. Other programmes taken up by the state to address mental health issues include ‘Mathru Chaitanya’ that provides counselling to pregnant and lactating women, ‘Manasadhara’ that provides day care rehabilitation to those recovering from mental illnesses, ‘Dawa and Dua’ that combines faith healing along with medications. The Health Department is working with NIMHANS to train PHC doctors to treat mental health conditions, he added.