Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Mpower, said, “With the new budget comes an indication that we will be taking on a more comprehensive approach to healthcare and wellness, and I think that it is definitely aimed in the right direction. However, I hope that this holistic vision will mean a more focused approach to mental health as well, especially in terms of creating the required infrastructure and encouraging more mental healthcare professionals. According to the plans outlined, there should be around 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres by 2022, and I do hope that the promise of affordable treatment extends to mental health as well. While we are taking positive steps to provide health insurance and reduce the burden of medical expenses on lower income families, I think it would not be as effective in the long run if it does not offer the same for mental health concerns as well. 1 in 5 Indians suffer from a mental health concern, and if left unaddressed, we could be seeing its negative impact on our economy to the tune of trillions by 2030.”
