This refers to the letter, ‘Mental Health Day’ (October 10) by Dr Lakesh Kumar Khatri. I endorse the views of the writer who has highlighted two key factors that add to the suffering of mentally sick people in the country. First, there is a very poor ratio of psychiatrists to the total number of patients and second, due to poor social orientation, most people exhaust conventional options like going to so-called spiritual healers, etc. Thus they waste a lot of money and time resulting in aggravation of their condition.
This calls for social orientation through lectures by social scientists and seminars in schools, colleges and universities as well as from social and professional groups/institutions to provide basic information and the right kind of treatment.
M Saleem Chaudhry
Lahore