Expert says depression cases up in Chitral

CHITRAL: A senior mental health expert Professor Dr Khalid Mufti has said that the absence of psychologists in the far-off and highly less developed Chitral district is the reason behind growing mental illnesses.

He was speaking at an awareness-raising seminar at the Chitral Town Hall. The Horizon, a non-governmental organisation, Chitral Press Club and the district administration had organised the programme.

Dr Khalid Mufti said the growing incidents of suicides among the youth in Chitral were a worrying development. "I examined patients at the free mental health camp, which proved that the depression cases have gone up in Chitral and the traditional family life has been affected," added the senior psychiatrist who has served as the principal of the Khyber Medical College, Peshawar.

The mental health expert said that there was a lack of proper communication between children and parents. "This is leading to the sense of loneliness among children and they are getting increasingly disappointed," he elaborated.

Dr Khalid Mufti made an offer and said his Horizon organisation was ready to train the doctors and other youth in coping with the mental health challenges. District Health Officer Dr Israrullah said that suggestions had been forwarded to the provincial government to appoint a psychiatrist at the District Headquarters Hospital.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Minhasuddin said the rising incidence of suicide among the youth in Chitral for the last few years was a source of concern for the society. "There is a need to study such happenings and take practical steps to come up with a solution. The free mental health camp arranged by Dr Khalid Mufti and his team in Chitral is a step towards that end for which the people of Chitral are grateful to him," said the official.

Minhasuddin said that the district administration was working to look into the various aspects of this important social problem and find a solution. Chitral Press Club President Zahiruddin, Inayatullah Aseer, Shareef Shukaib, Fayyaz Ahmad and Qari Jamal Abdul Nasir addressed the gathering as well.

Earlier, the Horizon organisation arranged a free-medical camp for the people suffering from mental health problems. Dr Khalid Mufti and his team, which had travelled from Peshawar, examined several patients. Free medicines were also distributed.