Ankur Nijhawan, CEO, AXA France Vie India Reinsurance Branch
Ankur Nijhawan, CEO, AXA France Vie India Reinsurance Branch said, “Mental health is still ignored as a disease in India and we don’t provide primary care to the individuals who are dealing with it. At AXA France Vie India, we have taken this as a serious issue and are facilitating the required support to our employees. As a part of mental health insurance, we have also launched mental health covers for our group clients and aim to offer it to everyone in the coming years”
Gordon Watson, CEO of AXA Asia & Africa, said, “Our recent AXA Mind Health Study found that on average, 43% of people surveyed across 11 markets in Europe and Asia are either languishing or struggling, indicating the absence of positive wellbeing or symptoms of psychosocial impairment. By expanding support for those in need, we strive to raise awareness of this invisible challenge among the broader public and lift the veil of stigma.”
New Delhi:
AXA France Vie’s India division has joined hands with the New Delhi based NGO – Manas Foundation, to launch a fully funded, completely free-of-cost Mental Health Helpline.
AXA believes that in these unprecedented and uncertain times unleashed by the COVID 19 pandemic, mental illness and distress have emerged as a silent pandemic that has been brewing under the garb of the ‘New Normal’.
The 24X7 PAN India Helpline will provide free mental health support and consultations from counsellors and psychologists.
AXA has been working towards normalizing mental health globally and in India and this CSR initiative AXA India aims to raise awareness and educate the masses about mental health.
The helpline not only functions as a crisis response helpline but as a holistic system of mental healthcare providing long-term mental health support via prompt referrals to other human resource personnel as and when required.
Arun Ram Meghwal, minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs & Culture said, “In the aftermath of COVID 19 there have been increasing incidents of depression and suicides. In such desperate times, this noble initiative by AXA France Vie -India to increase awareness about mental illness and provide support to individuals is commendable.
Talking about the vision for the launch of the helpline, Ankur Nijhawan, CEO, AXA France Vie India Reinsurance Branch said, “Mental health is still ignored as a disease in India and we don’t provide primary care to the individuals who are dealing with it. At AXA France Vie India, we have taken this as a serious issue and are facilitating the required support to our employees. As a part of our social responsibility, we are proud to collaborate with Manas Foundation for the launch of a free 24×7 mental health helpline that aims to provide the required support to people dealing with mental health issues. As a part of mental health insurance, we have also launched mental health covers for our group clients and aim to offer it to everyone in the coming years.”
Commenting on the initiative Gordon Watson, CEO of AXA Asia & Africa, said, “Our recent AXA Mind Health Study found that on average, 43% of people surveyed across 11 markets in Europe and Asia are either languishing or struggling, indicating the absence of positive wellbeing or symptoms of psychosocial impairment. By expanding support for those in need, we strive to raise awareness of this invisible challenge among the broader public and lift the veil of stigma.”
AXA has also launched several AI-driven solutions to support their users dealing with mental health issues. The company has a full fledged health partner in the form of an AI that allows access to resources and advice on health-related issues, including mental health. This allows the users to communicate freely about their situation.
Similarly, Manas Foundation has adopted a phycho-social model that aims to not only normalize the issue of mental health but also provide an open platform for the people to talk freely about it.
Speaking on the launch of the helpline, Monica Kumar, psychologist and founding trustee of Manas Foundation said, “Our research shows that now more than ever, people have complaints about anxiety and depression. This has led to a steep rise in cases of domestic violence and student suicides, and has settled an air of stress and burnout around us. ’’
The event witnessed the participation of several medical practitioners,psychologists,volunteers, and people who have felt a real change in their lives after being associated with Manas Foundation.