The Panda app assists approximately 80% of South/Africans who lack access to mental health treatment
The Panda app assists approximately 80% of South/Africans who lack access to mental health treatment
Mental health issues are a worldwide problem that has grown in both scope and magnitude over time, and they affect everyone. It is estimated that nearly 1 billion people will be affected by mental health issues by the year 2021, all over the world. This represents nearly 15 percent of the world's population, an increase from the previous year's figure of 10 percent.
When it comes to South Africa, the situation is much worse, with reports claiming that nearly a third of the population suffers from a psychological disorder of some kind.
According to the National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2013-2020 of South Africa, up to 80% of South Africans who require mental health support are unable to obtain it easily. One South African application, on the other hand, is attempting to change that narrative.
In the Panda App, developed by clinical psychologist Allan Sweidan and Alon Lits, a former general manager and director of Uber in Sub-Saharan Africa, users can securely connect to a variety of valuable resources and invest time in their mental health without disclosing their identities.
South Africa's mental health crisis was exacerbated, according to CEO Allan Sweidan, who spoke with me about the Covid-19 pandemic. This exacerbation brought home the importance of providing mental health support to a growing number of South Africans, which was previously understated.
According to Sweidan, Panda was designed and developed as a viable way to address the growing mental health crisis on a large scale, not only through digital support and information delivery, but also by assisting in the de-stigmatization of mental health issues.
Working Operation of Panda
This digital platform connects users to mental health resources, community support, and expert assistance. The Panda app is free to download. In order to accomplish this, the platform has implemented a feature known as the Bamboo Forest, which allows users to connect with a community of other app users who may be experiencing similar problems.
The discussions are conducted solely through audio, and they can be facilitated by peers or experts to assist users in gaining a better understanding of topics related to mental health. Also available are sub-communities that users can create based on their personal interests or support needs, such as depression, financial stress or anxiety, or even guidance for families who have loved ones who are struggling with mental health issues.
Also included is a set of scientifically validated assessment tools that allow users to objectively evaluate their mental health. They can also document and track their progress on their personal mental health journey through the use of a gamified tracking tool.
It provides users with access to an evidence-based content library that includes key themes from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and positive psychology, as well as other related topics. They can then take part in activities that are designed to help them improve their life skills as a result of their participation.
Additional features include the ability to schedule up to seven 30-minute text-based chat sessions with mental health professionals through the Panda app over the course of a 14-day period. Using the Bamboo Forest app, users will soon be able to schedule one-on-one consultations with mental health professionals who either hold sessions in the forest or are listed in the app's marketplace section.
The Pricing System
During the month of October, the app is completely free to download and use. The Bamboo Forest feature, as well as the vast majority of the screening assessments currently available, will always be available for free. For the time being, chat support is provided free of charge; however, in the coming months, it will become a paid service.
The resource content on the platform will also be available for free until the end of the year. Panda, on the other hand, intends to launch a comprehensive library in 2022, which will be available as a paid subscription service. The platform intends to keep the costs of its services as low as possible.
User's will be charged the standard fee for consultations with mental health professionals when the app begins offering expert consultations.
The CEO of Panda says the company is collaborating with a variety of insurers, including medical aid schemes, to ensure that the services provided by experts on the Panda platform are as accessible as possible. His conclusion was that current medical aid schemes have a limitation in that they provide the greatest benefit to members who are already in severe distress or who are functionally impaired.
"Using a triage system that ensures people receive appropriate care at the appropriate time from the appropriate experts, we hope to persuade medical insurance plans to adopt our value-driven model and expand the benefits that are available to them. We are pleased to report that we have made significant progress in this area, and we look forward to continuing our efforts "He went on to explain.
The startup's co-founder, Allan Sweidan, laments the country's overall shortage of mental health professionals, but says it is collaborating with "a fantastic group of mental health professionals who will be hosting sessions daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m."
To avoid situations where users arrive on the platform and discover there are no available sessions, the platform is attempting to create a two-sided marketplace. Using the app, the founder hopes that many more mental health professionals will create professional profiles and offer free services in their areas of expertise as a result of the app's launch.
Moving forward
A single location for an extended period of time is rarely, if ever, the case when it comes to technological advancement. It is frequently only a matter of time before it spreads beyond a single city, or even a single country, and becomes widespread. When asked about Panda's expansion plans, the CEO responded that there are none at the present time, according to the press.
"Right now, our primary focus is on the country of South Africa. We want to make certain that, wherever we go, we remain rooted in the community and serve local audiences. Users will be able to host sessions in their native language in a future release of the app, which will be available soon. As a result, we hope that certain mental health-related topics will become more accessible in the future "he explained.
As for its long-term goals, the CEO stated that the company wants to become a global leader in mental health technology that can compete with the industry's top players in the future.
In Conclusion
That the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated people's mental health conditions all over the world is no longer a breaking news story. The fact that South Africa has been identified as the most severely affected African country is unsurprising given the country's position as the most severely affected country.
As a result, South Africa requires all available assistance in this regard, and it is heartening to see a South African platform like Panda working to make that assistance available and easily accessible to the general public.
