Ali Fazal Joins Hands With Medical Experts To Conduct Sessions On Mental Health

Mumbai: As people are facing a strong negative impact of COVID-19 on their mental health, Bollywood actor Ali Fazal has decided to set up a series of panel discussions about the same. Mr Fazal has joined hands with several doctors and other experts to conduct the sessions for front-line workers, children, COVID patients, and more. Elaborating more about the initiative, said, “As a nation, we must start learning from this and understand the importance of having a regular conversation on mental health. It all starts with reaching out, acknowledging. That’s the core of mental health.”

Also Read: COVID-19: Mental Health Experts Experience Extreme Upsurge In Acute Grief, Bereavement Cases

For example, for now and for all times, we need to be more empathetic towards doctors and nurses and all other frontline workers because the trauma they’re facing on a daily basis today is bound to take an enormous toll on their mental health tomorrow, he added.

According to him, mental health does not work on the concept of ‘one size fits all’.

Also mental health is something that doesn’t work on the concept of one size fits all. Hence in my initiative, the aim is to help them be aware of various groups and sections of societies that need provision of mental health and to provide them with the necessary help and support for it, he further said.

With the help of Dr Harish Shetty and Dr Anjali Chabariya, senior psychiatrists from Mumbai and Dr Aleem Siddiqui from Lucknow, Immediate Past Direct Council member of Indian Psychiatric Society, Mr Fazal is looking forward to starting with this noble initiative.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of other celebrities also came forward to talk about mental health.

Actor Deepika Padukone, who has been quite vocal about her battle with depression, recently took to her social media handles to urge people to take proper care of their mental health. On her Instagram account, she had shared a list of several mental health helpline numbers.

As millions of us (me and my family included) strive to stay afloat, let us not forget that our emotional well-being in this current crisis, is equally important! Remember, You Are Not Alone. We are in this together.And most importantly, there is HOPE! #YouAreNotAlone @tlllfoundation, she had posted.

Amid the surge in cases, many stars like Katrina Kaif, Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, Mira Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, among others have been using social media to amplify the voices of those in need.

Also Read: Early Diagnosis Of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, COVID-Linked Disease In Children Can Reduce Morbidity: Experts

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.