Health

Amidst the green hues of the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bengaluru, conversations on mental health are getting a new shade. On one Saturday morning each month, beneath the majestic trees, people from different backgrounds gather to interact with mental health professionals. The discussions span a wide variety of themes such as emotional well-being, suicide prevention, digital overuse and much more, creating an open forum where dialogue replaces one-way information. This initiative, called Community Connect, envisioned by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), converts a public park into a space for shared learning and support. The Mental Health…

When a 30-year-old man from Karnataka felt overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts and a deep sense of hopelessness, he reached out to a government-run tele-counselling helpline. On the other end of the line was a trained counsellor from Tele MANAS, India’s national tele-mental health programme. The counsellor listened patiently, offered emotional support, and guided him to a nearby mental health hospital under the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) for further care. In another case, a 17-year-old student, anxious about his upcoming exams, called the same helpline. He received practical advice, study tips, and daily motivation. Two years later, he called back…

As the realities of climate change become increasingly evident, conversations around its psychological impact are more important than ever. In the first part of this series, we shared the experiences of individuals navigating eco/climate anxiety in their daily lives. In this second part, we speak with two experts, Cauviya and Samatha, to delve deeper into eco-anxiety and eco-grief and examine how environmental changes are influencing mental health across different social groups. Read more: Bengaluru’s street vendors are the first to be impacted by climate change: Lekha Adavi About the experts Cauviya Cauviya is an industrial/organisational psychologist who is trained in…

M Ravi, a 63-year-old resident of Sarvamangala Nagar in Chennai, fondly remembers the days when he would bathe in Sembakkam Lake before heading to college. “Early mornings were cold as we lived close to the lake. I neither had the time nor the means to heat water. A clean lake gave me not just a place to bathe but also taught me how to swim. Rain or shine, it was central to our social life,” he says with a smile. Nearly five decades later, he stands before the same lake, now choked with sewage, and feels a deep sense of…

The deaths of over 20 children in the past few weeks, after consuming cough syrup that was reportedly contaminated with toxic chemicals, have sparked nationwide concern and left parents searching for answers. The deaths, which occurred in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have been linked to a medicine called Coldrif, which is a fixed-dose combination drug (FDC) used to treat common cold symptoms.   In August 2024, the Union Health Ministry banned 156 FDC drugs, citing serious health risks to humans. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also repeatedly warned about the dangers of contaminants in paediatric medicines. In a country where people…

Despite the promise of inclusive healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, transgender and gender-diverse individuals in India continue to face systemic barriers due to flawed implementation and policy gaps. In an earlier article, we highlighted the struggle of the transgender community to access gender affirmation procedures. Here, we explore the disconnect between international guidelines, legal mandate, and the reality on the ground, and how gender-affirming healthcare can be made safer and inclusive. SOP that is not based on international guidelines The policy framework and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the Ayushman Bharat scheme for transgender persons are not backed by…

Arvinda dreams of becoming a psychologist. But the 21-year-old transwoman from Hyderabad had to discontinue her education in 2023, after finishing her polytechnic diploma, so she could work and raise money for her sex reassignment surgery.   That's the price she had to pay for living as her true self. Arvinda now earns ₹25,000 a month after taking a job at a BPO, of which around ₹12,000 goes towards repaying the loan she took to cover her medical expenses and afford other gender-affirming healthcare, including regular hormone treatments.   “I had to take a loan just to be who I am,”…

As the sun blazed across India's hottest regions, people faced an unprecedented heat risk this year. While Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and many other states reported hundreds of heatstroke cases and heat-related illnesses, experts have warned that the actual toll of the heat wave impact may be underreported in India. Summer may be officially over, and the monsoon has brought respite, but the impact of heat on all aspects of life remains a real and present danger. Heat-related deaths can occur even when there are no heat wave warnings, and factors like humidity, wind speed, pre-existing medical conditions,…

Ever stepped out to be hit by a blistering wave of heat? When the surroundings felt like a furnace and the body seemed to give up from exhaustion? This is how it was a week ago, when in many parts of India, including Delhi, the mercury touched 40 degrees Celsius, before sudden rainfall drastically lowered temperatures. The high humidity pushed the 'feel-like temperature' to almost 50 degrees Celsius, and the heat wave disrupted daily life.   Now, imagine a long battle with unrelenting heat for weeks or months, stifling communities and threatening livelihoods. Heat waves and chronic heat stress may…

Chennai recorded the highest temperature of 42.7 degrees Celsius on May 17 last year, marking the hottest day of summer so far. According to a study by Heat Watch, titled Struck by Heat: A News Analysis of Heat Stroke Deaths in India in 2024, 733 deaths due to heatstroke were reported across 17 states in India between March and June. This year, the sweltering conditions have returned early. The India Meteorological Department has issued a forecast and heatwave warning, stating that maximum temperatures will likely remain above normal by 1 to 3 degrees Celsius across many parts of coastal Tamil…