Wellness-based insurtech Wellx has launched ‘WellxMind’, a 24/7 mental health support and counselling service which can be incorporated into customers existing Wellx-powered insurance plan, at no extra cost.
Wellx has partnered with Amal Counsel, a UAE-based non-profit counselling service, to offer holistic, personalised, one-to-one therapy and counselling. Wellx’s latest offering aims to provide its customers with direct access to mental well-being therapists and counsellors whenever they need it, accessible through a mobile phone.
The initiative is aiming to break down the barriers to accessing support – especially in a region where awareness surrounding the issue is limited. One Global Burden of Disease study estimates that mental disorders are just as common in the GCC as they are worldwide. Meanwhile, an estimated 75 per cent of people who experience mental health difficulties do not seek professional help.
While social stigma and lack of awareness remain an issue, limited insurance coverage and unaffordable prices for mental health services have further hindered access to mental health care in the GCC. For instance, in the UAE, a single psychotherapy session can cost up to AED 1000.
Wellx aims to eliminate these problems by integrating its services with insurers, enabling customers to access mental well-being support without any additional cost. Following an initial assessment to identify where the user requires support, individuals will be paired with a therapist or counsellor that best matches their needs and preferences. WellxMind can support customers with the likes of sleep, stress management, anxiety, depression and mood changes.
‘Creating a peaceful and more resilient society’
Dr. Anushka Patchava, co-founder and chief product officer at Wellx, said: “At Wellx, we understand seeking mental well-being support may be daunting for some, and have designed WellxMind with a customer-centric approach, making it easy for customers to access support, in a confidential, safe way. We believe that prioritising mental health is essential, and we are proud to provide a service of this nature to those in need”.
Vaibhav Kashyap, co-founder and CEO of Wellx, said: “We are thrilled to be introducing WellxMind to our customer base as we strongly believe that mental well-being support should not be a luxury, but rather a service that is accessible and affordable to all. We want Wellx customers to be empowered towards better physical and mental health. Helping integrate healthier habits that contribute to an individual’s overall well-being is at the core of what we set out to accomplish at Wellx and the launch of WellxMind is another leap in that direction.
“Amal Counsel’s direct and well-equipped approach to mental health and wellbeing is an inspired and novel approach to a crucial issue that we will help mitigate, and we look forward to accomplishing great things together.”
Naila Al Moosawi, founder of Amal Counselling For a Better Tomorrow (CFBT), added: “Wellx’s ethos of building healthier, happier and more resilient communities aligns with Amal Counselling CFBT’s primary vision is to make mental health affordable and accessible to the residents in UAE and where mental health is prioritized, and individuals are empowered to achieve positive mental and emotional wellbeing, creating a peaceful and more resilient society to become the best versions of themselves. By partnering with Wellx, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of prioritizing mental well-being and provide our services to a wider audience.”
