LAHORE: The three-day international conference on “Health Psychology: Issues and Challenges” concluded here at the Government College University on Friday with various recommendations given to the government, academicians and the departments concerned.

The recommendations agreed by the participants included broadening the scope of health psychology, defining standards of training of health psychologists in Pakistan and creating jobs in hospitals, think-tanks and educational institutions especially schools for qualified health psychologists.

“All speakers at the conference have emphasized on the role of religion, mysticism and spirituality in preserving physical and mental health in the healing process,” said conference chairman Dr Syeda Shahida Batool while addressing the concluding ceremony chaired by Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) Chairman Prof Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin.

More than 600 scholars and faculty members from 35 universities of Pakistan and delegates from Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada participated in 15 scientific sessions of the conference jointly organized by the GCU Psychology Department, PHEC, HEC and Punjab AIDS Control Programme.

The speakers also deliberated upon organizing the Pakistan Association of Health Psychology and launching a research journal on health psychology in Pakistan for which world’s renowned psychologist and author Dr Christopher Lewis promised to provide his expert services.

Prof Dr Mohammad Nizamuddin stressed on indigenous research on health psychology, saying that since every society and culture had its own particular requirements it must not be tried to be fitted into the developmental concepts derived from Western experience of tradition-modernity-post-modernity.

Prof Nizam said there were peace, tolerance and security on the GCU campus in comparison to other universities because this university had strong traditions, culture and a system of student societies i.e. debating, drama, quiz, etc that kept students engaged throughout the year in healthy activities of art and culture.

Dr Richard and Dr Visser from University of Sussex, UK, said their interaction with Pakistani psychology students during the conference was phenomenal and they themselves had learnt a lot from them.

They said there was strong realization in the world to focus on health psychology to modify human behaviors that have been implicated in the chronic illness, relieve pain and reduce stress.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Hassan Amir Shah expressed gratitude to the PHEC chairman for the technical support and funding for the conference.

GCU’s Faculty of Social Sciences dean Prof Dr Tahir Kamran said the papers presented at the conference would add to their understanding that how psychological, behavioral and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness of individuals.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2017