Bengaluru: Wysa announced plans for a Hindi language mental health app, which will also be accessible through WhatsApp. ACT, a non-profit venture philanthropy platform, is supporting the initiative and is seeking a co-funding partner to propel the development further. The pilot is expected to commence in early 2023.
Neetha Joy, Director- Healthcare at ACT said, “With 14 per cent of our population suffering from mental health disorders and the pandemic exacerbating the lack of access to quality care, we need innovative solutions to address this chasm as there aren’t enough trained care providers to meet this latent demand.”
The first iteration of the Hindi app will guide users through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) exercises via text with a mobile phone-based conversational agent, to help users manage depression and anxiety. The app will guide users who show moderate to severe symptoms towards a clinical programme and wellness tools to others.
“In our ambition to help 50 million users by 2025, we must go beyond the barriers of literacy and language to create access to mental health support for all. We’ve shown that therapy through Wysa appeals to those who are unwilling to come forward to talk about their mental health problems,” said Jo Aggarwal, CEO and Co-founder, Wysa.
“We are lowering the digital divide, moving closer to our goal of providing scalable, equitable and accessible emotional support,” added Smriti Joshi, Chief Psychologist, Wysa.
“Wysa in Hindi has the capability of reaching not just the metro cities but also tier II-III cities where mental health issues are more prominent and less talked about. With the simplicity of this app and science-backed techniques such as CBT, it is hugely beneficial for Hindi speakers to get guidance in their native language,” said Dr Roma Kumar, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Consultant, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.