Hyderabad:108 call centres set to come into being soon

Hyderabad: The state medical and health department has decided to start a helpline to reach out to doctors and general public, including liquor addicts, facing mental health and anxiety issues arising due to Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing lockdown. The services of '108' call centres are being used to provide psychological support to those under stress. Apart from doctors, this counselling service is also extended to all medical and health care workers involved in Covid-19 duties. According to GVK EMRI chief operating officer P Brahmananda Rao, the coronavirus crisis and the restrictive measures such as lockdown that were imposed to contain the outbreak were bound to have an impact on people's mental health and well-being, for which an effective redressal mechanism is very much essential.

Isolation, social distancing, closure of schools, workplaces and entertainment facilities are the major worries weighing down people. It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, fear and loneliness at this time. As people are put in home quarantine/ isolation, it is very important to consider the effects of this pandemic on their mental health and accordingly provide psychological support, Rao said.

Initially the call centre would work with 5 dedicated lines and two shifts per day (12 hours each) and five counsellors per shift, and based on the need more lines would be dedicated.