Corona fears drive up calls

Mental health helplines flooded with SOS from healthcare staff, youth, those stuck at home.

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The helpline was set up on March 31, well into the nationwide lockdown, and it receives 15-20 calls every day, said Dr. Nitin Abhivant, head of the Department of Psychiatry, B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital.

In the last couple of weeks, at least 35 to 40 per cent calls to the mental health helpline run by Sassoon General Hospital have been from the medical fraternity, made by health care staff including doctors and nurses, who are worried about dealing with COVID-19 patients and contracting the virus themselves.

Beyond the fear of infection, the healthcare staff also deal with a labyrinth of issues such as long hours at work, shortage of personal protective equipment and concern about infecting their loved ones.

Pune has emerged as one of the biggest hotspots of the infection, with over 400 cases and 47 deaths, most of them at Sassoon General Hospital, which has a dedicated building to treat COVID-19 patients. At least 15 healthcare workers including nine nurses and five doctors across city hospitals have also tested positive.

“Majority of those who call are overworked healthcare staff, such as doctors from various hospitals. Clearly, they are under so much stress as they have to handle COVID-19 patients. While precautions are taken by the healthcare staff, there is always a risk of contracting the infection,” he said.

To help them through these tough times, the hospital has organised stress management sessions and ways to provide social and psychological support.

Another major section of callers comprises members of the young student population in the city, who seek details about the disease, said Dr. Abhivant.

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Another health helpline – the state-run 104 – received nearly 37,000 calls in March, said senior manager Niraja Banker. “The queries were not only about mental health issues… practically everyone wanted information about COVID-19,” Banker said. The helpline even addressed concerns of callers who wanted to report on a neighbour who was sick or had returned after international travel.

But the past fortnight has seen a rise in the number of calls about the nationwide lockdown and its impact, availability of foodgrain and other related issues.

Fraught domestic situations and unresolved issues have also come to the fore for many, as every family member is forced to remain at home during the lockdown. This has led to many calls from professionals and housewives, seeking on how to deal with certain situations at home, said Dr. Abhivant.

Apart from stress, many are also dealing with depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion and anger amid the pandemic.

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One of the callers, on condition of anonymity, said he called the helpline as he was unable to shake off the fear of contracting COVID-19. The call was answered by a woman who explained that it was natural to have high anxiety levels at such a time. “If you are following the guidelines provided by the government, chances of infection are low. Wear a mask when you step out, wash your hands and avoid unnecessary contacts,” the counsellor told the caller.

Other helpful suggestions shared by the counsellor include reducing the consumption of news about the infection, not watching news channels and trying to get a good night’s sleep. The counsellor also urged the youth to cultivate a new hobby, which can act as a distraction and have a calming effect.

(With inputs from Partha Sarathi Biswas)

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Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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