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 In response to a worrying rise in mental health crises and suicides among medical professionals, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has introduced a dedicated mental health helpline for doctors, residents, and medical students nationwide. The urgent need for such a service has become clear following recent tragic cases, including a student’s suicide at AIIMS Nagpur, another attempt at Gondia Medical College, and an incident involving a doctor at JJ Hospital in Mumbai.

The helpline operates through personal mobile numbers of approximately 50 psychiatrists across India, ensuring confidential and direct access to support. These professionals are available for doctors twenty hours a day, every day of the week, to offer much-needed psychological help. FAIMA emphasizes comfort in communication and privacy, noting that many medicos hesitate to use government-run services due to fears of confidentiality breaches.

Helmed by Dr. Sajal Bansal, Dr. Akshay Dongardive, and other regional coordinators, the initiative is led nationally by FAIMA chair Dr. Manish Jangra and president Dr. Dongardive, with backing from senior officials like Dr. Rohan Krishnan, Dr. Suvrankar Datta, and Dr. Sandeep Dagar. This free, person-to-person helpline seeks to fill a critical gap in mental health provision for India’s overstressed medical community.