Hardly 500 psychiatrists for over 60 million Pakistanis with mental illnesses, event told

More than 60 million Pakistanis are living with mental health conditions while fewer than 500 psychiatrists are available to serve a population of over 240 million, experts said at the Global Conference on Brain and Mental Health hosted by the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) in Karachi.

They said the treatment gap required urgent action and integration of mental health into primary healthcare. The three-day conference was held from November 3 till November 5 at the AKU’s Stadium Road campus. It brought together leading researchers, clinicians, academics, policymakers and community leaders from Pakistan and abroad to discuss solutions for improving brain and mental health in developing countries. The theme of the event was ‘Building Thriving Communities: Promoting Brain and Mental Health’.

Speaking at the event, former state minister for health Dr Zafar Mirza said mental health must be recognised as a core public health priority in Pakistan and embedded into routine health care delivery to address the rising burden of disease.

Experts from the University of Liverpool, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR UK), Imperial College London and University of Wisconsin Madison joined national specialists for scientific sessions and panel discussions.

Key topics included digital mental health, youth and migration, climate and brain health, suicide prevention, dementia and healthy ageing, and community-based models of care. Film screenings and live performances highlighted lived experiences, resilience and the human side of mental health struggles.

With specialist services concentrated in big cities, speakers said community based care was the most practical and scalable approach for Pakistan. The event was told that the Brain and Mind Institute, together with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), was rolling out an integrated mental health framework to train teachers, peers and frontline health workers to identify early signs of distress and provide psychosocial support. The project aimed at taking support closer to where people learned, worked and lived.

Dr Ozioma Okonkwo, professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison, said scientific progress must translate into meaningful benefits for communities. “The science of the brain and mind has advanced enormously, but its greatest promise lies in how it can help us build healthier, more resilient individuals and communities,” he said.

Founding Director of BMI Professor Zul Merali said mental health was now gaining space in public health and development debates. He said the conference focused on linking scientific evidence with the challenges people faced in daily life and on building partnerships for sustained change.

BMI Associate Director Dr Rozina Karmaliani said collaboration across countries and sectors was essential to bring improvement in mental health care. She said scientific advances must lead to real outcomes for communities. The conference concluded with the BMI reaffirming its commitment to advancing brain and mental health through research, education, community engagement and innovation.