Panaji, Jan 5 (IANS): The phenomenon of 'work from home' is not easy and has taken a toll on the minds of adults as well as children, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday, adding that the pandemic has taken a toll on their mental health.

"Pandemic has virtually put so much pressure on the mental health of people... and a lot of people. It is not very easy to work online from home. People who are used to going out and working in different environments and suddenly you tell them and restrict them to four walls of the house. This has had a definite impact on not only the minds of adults, but also of the children," Rane said at a Health Ministry function near Panaji.

"Today the concept of healthcare and even IPHB (Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour) gains a lot of importance because the pandemic has changed the thought process in today's time. The pandemic is something that has changed the mindset. You find children suffering from different types of problems in view of the pandemic," the Health Minister also said.

Rane also announced that the state government was in the process of finalising a tie-up with the Bengaluru-based National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) to further improve mental health facilities in Goa like the state government's apex mental health facility, the IPHB.

"We are also in the process of tying up with NIMHANS, I have at least cleared the file from my side. I wanted this thing to happen during this tenure, so that NIMHANS should have an association with IPHB. Being the premier institute in mental health and wellbeing, we thought that this would help our institute grow and have a different type of recognition," the Health Minister asserted.