FAIMA launches 365-day mental health support for medical professionals

New Delhi: To prevent suicide and promote mental well‑being among medical professionals, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has launched a dedicated 365-day Mental Health Redressal Helpline (MHRH). This helpline aims to support doctors, medical students, and healthcare workers facing stress and mental health challenges.

The helpline will be available 20 hours daily, seven days a week, and will be managed by a dedicated team of psychiatrists who will cater to the mental health needs of the medical professionals to ensure that residents receive timely, professional, and confidential support.

Through this initiative, FAIMA aims to address the growing mental health challenges faced by resident doctors across the country. The helpline will be available for a whole year from Monday to Sunday in different time slots.

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This comes at a time when cases of suicide among doctors and students are rising due to extreme stress from work, long shifts, and academic pressure. Many of them were battling depression because of the challenging nature of the medical profession. Therefore, the initiative launched by the association would greatly benefit and support medical professionals who are struggling with their mental health each day.

A list released by the association includes the mental health experts and their contact numbers who will be available 365 days. The experts come from different regions of India and speak multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, and Kannada, ensuring accessibility for a wider audience.

"This one-of-a-kind, comprehensive and holistic mental health initiative is aimed at addressing the mental health issue faced by residents, doctors and medicos all across the country. This flagship initiative of FAIMA is one of the foremost steps in ensuring the well-being and betterment of the medicos in our country," reads the press release.

"Dear Doctors, You Are Not Alone. FAIMA stands with every medico facing stress, burnout, or silent struggles. A safe, confidential space where help and hope are just a call away. Because saving lives starts with protecting our own," said the association.

In a statement to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Akshay Dongardive, National President of FAIMA, said, "As President of FAIMA, I am proud to announce the launch of our flagship initiative – the Mental Health Redressal Helpline (MHRH). This one-of-its-kind helpline is dedicated to addressing the growing mental health challenges faced by resident doctors across India."

He further said, "At FAIMA, we strongly believe that the well-being of doctors is as important as the care they provide to patients. The MHRH is a major step forward in building a supportive ecosystem for our residents, promoting resilience, and ensuring that no doctor feels alone in their struggles."