National emergency response to Pakistan’s mental health crisis urged

PMA demands policy shift, disaster-linked funding, and expanded training to address untreated psychological trauma, as SMHA reiterates commitment to strengthen mental healthcare in Sindh

IV Report

KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as an “abysmal” overall state of mental healthcare in the country, urging the government to prioritise access to psychological and psychiatric services as a national emergency.

Marking World Mental Health Day (WMHD), the PMA warned that the growing burden of mental distress continues to go largely untreated, undermining the nation’s overall resilience and recovery.

In a statement issued on October 10, PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said that Pakistan’s mental health system remains grossly unprepared to meet the needs of its increasingly traumatised population. “There is no health without mental health,” the association stressed, calling for urgent and sustained measures to integrate mental health services into the country’s primary healthcare network.

Referring to this year’s global theme — “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” — the PMA underscored that the psychological consequences of disasters are often overlooked in the country’s disaster response and healthcare planning. “A natural disaster doesn’t just destroy homes and livelihoods; it fractures the psychological well-being of entire communities,” the statement noted, adding that neglecting these “invisible wounds” compromises both individual recovery and national resilience.

The association observed that the demand for psychiatric and psychological assistance far exceeds the limited availability of specialised services, a gap that widens further during emergencies when fragile health systems collapse. To address this crisis, the PMA unveiled a four-point action plan, calling on the government to decentralise mental healthcare by equipping Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) to provide frontline mental health support.

The association also proposed mandatory mental health training for general practitioners, paramedics, and Lady Health Workers under the WHO’s mhGAP framework, along with dedicated funding within national and provincial disaster management budgets for mental health and psychosocial support services.

Highlighting the chronic shortage of trained professionals, the PMA urged an expansion in postgraduate training seats for psychiatry and clinical psychology and emphasised the need for sustained awareness campaigns to combat stigma and promote help-seeking behaviour.

Terming mental health investment as “an investment in national security and economic recovery,” the PMA reiterated its willingness to collaborate with federal and provincial health authorities to build a more resilient and compassionate healthcare system for all Pakistanis.

In the meantime, the Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA) and the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences (SASIMS) jointly organised a WMHD seminar at the latter’s premises in Sehwan Sharif. According to a press release, the event — the first of its kind at SASIMS — focused on this year’s global theme, highlighting the urgent necessity of enhancing mental health and psychosocial support for populations affected by conflicts, natural disasters, and other humanitarian crises.

SMHA Chairman Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja, who was the chief guest, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment, stating: “The SMHA is dedicated to promoting mental health, preventing mental illness, and ensuring quality mental healthcare services across the province of Sindh.”

Dr Muhammad Moinuddin Siddiqui, Director of SASIMS, presided over the proceedings, while noted psychiatrist Dr Ali Arslan Memon delivered the keynote address before a gathering of stakeholders, medical professionals, civil society representatives, and participants including Dr Hameed Bandani and Dr Rashid Ali Khoso.

Photos: Official source