India accounts for nearly one-third of global suicides among women and about a quarter among men, with more than 1.7 lakh people taking their lives annually. To address this alarming trend, a new AI-based mental health app, ‘Never Alone’, has been launched for students of AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and IHBAS on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day.
According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, India’s suicide rate has risen from 9.9 per 100,000 population in 2017 to 12.4 in 2022, with youth, comprising 67 per cent of the affected population, most vulnerable due to academic pressure, career-related stress, fear of failure, and chronic illnesses.
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Psychiatrists Dr Nand Kumar and Dr Gagan explained that the ‘Never Alone’ app functions as an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot. In a short 5-6 minute conversation, it generates a summary report based on the student’s symptoms.
If signs of concern are detected, the chatbot recommends on-call counselling. With the student’s consent, the report is shared with an available doctor, who then provides professional support.
The app is currently in its final stages of development and will be rolled out to students from next month. For other universities and institutions, the service will be available at 70 paise per student per day.