PIMS observes World Mental Health Day

Islamabad: The theme of World Mental Health Day this year ‘Make Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority’ recognizes that mental health issues are human rights issues which are being neglected.

One in eight people worldwide is living with a mental-health issue. Pakistan is home to well over 200 million people, but has one of the poorest mental health indicators with less than 500 psychiatrists available for this population size. This paucity of mental health professionals in Pakistan creates a massive treatment gap, leaving more than 90 per cent of people with common mental disorders untreated.

Special Secretary Health Mirza Nasir ud Din Mashood Ahmed expressed this while speaking to participants as Chief Guest at an event organised by Psychiatry Department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in connection with World Mental Health Day which is observed on October 10 every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

Mashood Ahmed said that we learnt a lesson from COVID-19 pandemic as no one worldwide was ready for the allied mental health crunch and its long term impact on human brain. The current flood situation is the recent example, which means that any traumatic event can have a devastating effect on the emotional health of the people involved. Such traumatic events may include the grief from losing a loved one, livelihood stresses like economizing or other academic or career setbacks, or health stresses from illnesses, or family, relationship stresses like a divorce, amongst others, he said.

Earlier, in the opening remarks Professor Rizwan Taj, Chairperson Psychiatry Department and Dean/Chief Executive Officer PIMS, shared the history of World Mental Health Day and highlighted the purpose of this year’s theme. He said that the goal is to rekindle our efforts to increase awareness, improve mental health and reduce the associated stig­ma. He explained that mental health is a broad term and must not be confused with mental disorder.