Pakistan’s first infant mental health conference opens

Islamabad:The Baby Matters Conference 2025, Pakistan’s first national conference on infant mental health, was inaugurated here at the Health Services Academy (HSA) on Friday.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr. Nelson Azeem chaired the opening ceremony and emphasised the importance of integrating infant mental health into national health policy. He highlighted the need to focus on mental and emotional well-being in the earliest years of life as a critical investment in the country’s future.

HSA warmly welcomed all national and international participants and announced the establishment of a dedicated Department of Infant Mental Health, marking a significant step toward institutionalizing early childhood mental health in Pakistan.

The inaugural sessions witnessed active participation from international experts, national professionals, and students, including midwifery students, who greatly benefited from exposure to the latest research, trauma-informed care practices, and early relational health models.

Organized by the Health Services Academy University, The Healing Triad, and the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, the conference brings together a diverse range of stakeholders united by a common goal: to give every child in Pakistan the best possible start in life.

According to organizers, this pioneering event will focus on the mental health and emotional development of children in the first 1000 days, a period proven to shape brain architecture, emotional regulation, physical health, learning capacity, and future relationships. It will offer training for parents, educators, midwives, paediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and policy-makers, highlighting evidence-based, culturally grounded approaches to nurturing infant mental health.