Kolkata: In an endeavour to make quality mental health services more accessible to people across the country, Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder & Chairperson, Mpower, today inaugurated a new Mental Health Centre in Kolkata. The state-of-the-art centre located on Sarat Bose Road, will not only cater to the needs of nearly 1.5 Cr strong population of the city but also of the Eastern & North-Eastern states of India. The centre is headed by Dr. Preeti Parakh, (M.D. Psychiatry) who is in the field of mental health for more than a decade. She is ably supported by a highly qualified and experienced team of mental health professionals; Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Special Educators, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists. The clinical services at Mpower – The Centre, Kolkata can be availed via both online and offline modes. Lending his support to the cause of mental health was Cricketing Legend, and President of the BCCI, Sourav Ganguly, who jointly unveiled the centre along with Mrs. Neerja Birla. Since inception in 2016, this is Mpower’s seventh world-class centre of excellence after Mpower Centres at Mumbai & Bengaluru, Mpower Foundation Mumbai and Mpower Cells at BITS Pilani, BITS Goa and Birla College, Kalyan, all dedicated for alleviation of mental health concerns.
Speaking at the virtual inauguration, Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Mpower said, “At the onset, I am really grateful to Mr. Sourav Ganguly for supporting an issue like mental health to create the right awareness among the citizens. Last year has been exceptionally tough on everyone, and has thrust the spotlight on how delicate our mental health really is. Furthermore, the prevailing deep-rooted stigma within the society often prevents people from reaching out and seeking the help they need. Hence, there is a strong need to create awareness about the same so that we as a society can work together to build a better tomorrow. With the launch of Mpower centre in Kolkata, we carry on with our missionary zeal to make mental health facilities accessible, and deliver holistic solutions to all. It is my sincere appeal to families, youth and working professionals to reach out, and seek help from our team of extremely skilled and experienced mental health professionals at The Kolkata Centre.”
Present at the launch, Shri Sourav Ganguly, President BCCI said, “Having played and witnessed a highly competitive sport like Cricket over three decades, I understand how important it is to build and maintain mental resilience for survival and success. This also applies to every other field we work in. Mental health is one of the biggest issues we face today as a society, which only got worse, as stress levels increased due to pandemic. Mrs. Neerja Birla and her movement Mpower have been doing some stellar work in the area of mental health. The launch of Mpower Centre in my hometown Kolkata is a brilliant step in the right direction towards creating awareness about mental healthcare in India. I am pleased to have been a part of this important discussion with Mrs. Birla, to understand the on-ground realities and what we as citizens can do to start fighting the stigma associated with mental illness, and seek timely help from the mental health experts.”
Ever since the pandemic struck, Mpower has intensified its efforts to alleviate the stigma around mental health, through various initiatives such as Mpower 1on1 toll-free mental health helpline (24×7), Mpower eClinic for tier two towns, ‘Minds Matter’ – mental health literacy curriculum for schools, and Mental Health Counselling and structured therapy to the frontline heroes such as Mumbai Police and Healthcare Workers and their families. In this period, Mpower has been committed to offer uninterrupted clinical intervention using teleconsultation services. Earlier this year, Mpower inaugurated its newest Cell at B K Birla College, Kalyan, and along with Kolkata it endeavours to expand its clinical footprint in cities like Pune and Hyderabad as well.
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