KATHMANDU, APRIL 30

'Mankaa Kura', the first platform to support the mental health of Nepalis around the globe, was launched on April 22.

Mankaa Kura is an online-based counselling and therapy platform where one can find and choose suitable healthcare that is also affordable to millions of Nepalis here in Nepal and abroad.

The platform believes that one must always have access to the right kind of help and support, and especially during periods of emotional and mental upheavals, claimed the statement issued by platform.

"When the hurt is physical, such as a sports injury or a kitchen burn, the cause of the discomfort is easier to locate and similarly deal with. What if the pain is rather internal, a strange, heavy feeling of emptiness hovering about one's chest or head? It is hardly as though the latter kind of pain is largely fleeting and one can care less," an excerpt from the statement read.

According to the statement, WHO estimates that there has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions, half of which start by 14 years of age. For many, the cases go undetected, and this perhaps accounts for the 76% to 85% of people with mental health issues in low- and middle-income countries who receive no treatment at all and are forced to spend their lives in a disoriented and demoralised state.

"Conversation is the key to lift oneself and help others come out of that very confusing state. Through our online platform, Mankaa Kura aims to provide a safe space for people to talk about their issues, their pains, and their feelings to a professional counsellor, who can, in turn, help us understand our emotions, provide us with unbiased guidance, and sometimes –– quite simple –– a listening ear. Talking about the problem one has is the first step away from denying it and towards solving it, and Mankaa Kura is on a mission to rid our society of the unnecessary stigma that surrounds mental health and provide accessible and affordable mental healthcare to anyone who needs it," Mankaa Kura claims.

Click here to visit the website.

"In recent years, there has indeed been a steady rise in people participating in dialogues about mental health in our country and our communities, and Mankaa Kura wants to keep the ball rolling while simultaneously also help one find the balance and the care," the statement further reads.

As per the release, Mankaa Kura is also fully HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; the American standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge) compliant.