• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, unveiled a pioneering Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based mental health programme called Never Alone in 2025 to address the growing concern of student suicides and mental health challenges.
• Introduced on World Suicide Prevention Day, the programme provides round-the-clock virtual and offline consultations through a WhatsApp-accessible web app, ensuring affordability and ease of use.
• Priced at just 70 paise per student per day for institutions with over 5,000 students, the service offers personalised screening, intervention, and continuous post-care support.
• India has been facing an alarming mental health crisis, with over 1.7 lakh suicides reported in 2022—the highest in more than five decades.
• Young adults aged 18 to 30 accounted for 35 per cent of these deaths. Globally, suicide remains a major public health issue, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting one death every 45 seconds, and low- and middle-income countries bearing 73 per cent of the burden.
• In India, stigma and lack of awareness continue to widen the treatment gap, leaving 70 to 80 per cent of those affected without help.
• By offering affordable and confidential screening, along with accessible counselling via WhatsApp, Never Alone aims to bridge this gap and ensure timely support for students.
• The programme is currently operational at AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Shahdara, with plans for nationwide expansion.