83% of patients depressed, 68% suffering from anxiety: GPs

ISLAMABAD: Of the 2,822 patients screened by 122 General Physicians (GPs) trained to identify mental health problems in the past year, around 83% exhibited depressive symptoms, while 68% of the 1,302 patients screened showed signs of anxiety, health experts revealed at the 24th International Psychiatric Conference, which concluded here on Friday.

These GPs were trained by the Global Institute of Human Development (GIHD) at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU), in collaboration with the Central Institute of Family Physicians, to implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Benefit Package-based mental health guidelines.

The training enabled GPs to provide early diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues in community settings. Severe cases were referred to psychiatrists for advanced care and rehabilitation, GIHD officials stated.

“Mental health issues are constantly on the rise, yet we have less than 1,000 trained and qualified psychiatrists in the country. Training general physicians and family doctors to identify psychiatric illnesses is a commendable and necessary initiative,” remarked Dr. Shabana Saleem, Director General Health, while speaking at the seminar ‘Integrating Mental Health in Primary Care’.

Dr. Shabana highlighted the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination’s (NHSRC) efforts, including signing an MoU with STMU for this initiative and launching mental health helplines to promote services. She also emphasized the shortage of child psychiatrists and the neglect of children’s mental health.

“The utilization of Lady Health Workers to identify mental health issues among women and children has been beneficial. Now, this program, integrating mental health into primary care with support from the government, WHO, and British Asian Trust, can be a game changer,” she added.

Dr. Syed Usman Hamdani, Founding Director of GIHD-STMU, explained how the Postgraduate Certificate Course on Mental Health and Research, integrated with the Diploma in Family Medicine, trains GPs to deliver evidence-based mental healthcare.

“This program has trained 341 family physicians and general practitioners, screening and delivering interventions for over 10,000 patients with common mental health problems in primary care settings over the past two years,” Dr. Hamdani said, recommending scaling up the initiative across Pakistan to implement UHC Benefit Packages effectively.

Vice Chancellor STMU Prof. Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Khan and Dean Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aamir praised the GIHD’s program for its potential to revolutionize mental health care. “Former SAPM Dr. Zafar Mirza described the program as a “game changer” and stressed the need for scaling it up nationally.

“Without mental well-being, Universal Health Coverage cannot advance. This university-led model is a blueprint for addressing the mental health treatment gap in low-income countries,” he said.