US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for cooperation from India in the wake of a growing mental health crisis, especially among young people. Delivering a speech at an event in Bengaluru, he said that both countries have had 60 years of engagement over health matters that have galvanized them from removing smallpox and polio to HIV, tuberculosis and more recently COVID-19. Now’s the time for both nations to come together in an attempt to address rising mental health problems affecting millions.
During his visit to NIMHANS, he met the local mental health providers and discussed the ongoing collaborative efforts. He said that he is proud of the work being undertaken by them and continues to spot more fruitful cooperation, especially through innovative programs like Tele MANAS – a scheme that is going to provide mental health care service through telecommunication.
Says Murthy, “The three major casualties have been loneliness and isolation, impact of social media on children and youth, and pressure of academics on students.” These common causes cut across India and the US and hence common action is needed.
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According to Murthy, work-related stress has the maximum impact on the psyche of the individual. He cited guidelines that were published a couple of months back in 2022, seeking to promote mental health at work, though they also referred to five key areas – safe, connected and belonging; work-life balance; work-life harmony; development; and value for the employee as a person. He further revealed that about 75% of employees believe that their working environment hurts their mental health, hence changes are in dire need in the workplace culture.
Huge economic implications arise from mental health. According to Murthy, the world loses about one trillion US dollars to depression and anxiety every year. This means that mental health problems are diagnosed not only at the level of an individual but also affect the level of a business and the economy. They also affect efficiency and general employee satisfaction in organizations.
He also shed light on the stigma attached to mental illness that prevents a person from seeking medical attention. He said that these risks of mortality are at par with those of smoking and obesity, thus highlighting that mental health ought to be a huge concern for public health.
The Surgeon General ended his briefing by urging society’s common effort to promote mental health. He urged the two nations to dwell on how they can harness their strengths towards more strategic approaches in mental health that might be emulated elsewhere in the rest of the world. In this respect, the call to action by Murthy reminds everyone of the fact that mental health is not only a private, individual matter but also a social one with great bearing on economic stability, educational results and the quality of life in general. If they collaborate, this partnership will help bring India and the US to the vanguard of devising cutting-edge solutions for one of humanity’s biggest health dilemmas-the economic burden that directly affects people worldwide.
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