PESHAWAR: Health experts have expressed concerns over shortage of specialists for mental ailments and called upon the government to give incentives to doctors to take this branch of medical science for post-graduation in view of the growing incidence in the country.

“There are only 500 psychiatrists for 222 million people. About 800,000 people commit suicide every year globally, which means one person in every 40 seconds commits suicide, making it the leading cause of deaths among 15 to 29-year-old people,” Prof Bashir Ahmed, the chairman of psychiatry department at Khyber Teaching Hospital, told a seminar.

The seminar was held in connection with World Mental Day at Khyber Medical College here on Thursday.

Prof Bashir said that mental health sicknesses were not covered under Sehat Sahulat Programme (SSP) which deprived the poor of seeking free health services. He added that psychiatric conditions like dementia, psychosis and learning disability rendered people unable to use their thoughts and actions and made them vulnerable to neglect and abuse.

He said that in Pakistan one third of the population was estimated to have depression and anxiety while all over the world half of all the economic consequences of health problems were due to mental disorders, mainly depression and anxiety.

Prof Bashir said that despite such economic impact of mental health issues in the developing countries, the financial and human resources were inadequate where less than one per cent of the total health budget was spent on promotion of mental issues. Only one out of 10 persons received the care for mental health problems in the developing countries, he added.

KMC Dean Prof Mahmud Aurangzeb, who was chief guest on the occasion, appreciated contribution of psychiatry department towards improving mental health services and training in the province.

Other speakers including Prof Amer Azhar and Dr Imran Khan urged the government to invest in improving information, awareness and education about mental health and provide legislative protection and social support to mentally ill people and their families by implementing Mental Health Act in letter and spirit.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2020