Ahead of the World Mental Health Day on October 10, city-based healthcare firm DocsApp on Monday said it has introduced mental health care as part of the sick leaves given to the employees.
DocsApp, a mobile app that allows users to reach out to specialist doctors, will be giving a 'Stress Day Off' to its team so employees can pay attention to their mental well being, a company statement said.
"We automatically associate 'sick leave' with someone being physically ill. However, we never associate a person being sick to a mental health issue," CEO Satish Kannan said in the statement.
"Lack of awareness about mental health issues has hindered people from seeking help from a specialist. We need to educate people and ensure they understand that mental health issues have to be treated, and a specialist has to be consulted for a treatment," he added.
The new leave helps in letting the employees stay productive while taking care of their mental health, the company said.
According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) study in 2014, India is among the leading countries whose citizens are battling depression and anxiety.
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Each year, WHO recognises October 10 as World Mental Health Day with an objective of raising awareness about mental health.
--IANS
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