Health and well-being: PIMS to have children’s psychiatry department

CADD minister says psychiatrists will also be appointed in federal schools

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) will have a children’s psychiatry department.

The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister, Tariq Fazal Chaudhary announced this, while speaking at a seminar “Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Disorder,” organised by    the Pims’ Department of Psychiatry here on Monday.

The department will offer counselling for parents on children’s emotional and/or behavioural problems during different phase of development extending through adolescence.

The minister also announced to launch an initiative to appoint permanent psychiatric counsellors in all schools of Islamabad.

He said that child psychiatry was an important subject as social and psychological recognition of childhood was important.

Chaudhary said that many questions arose in the nascent mind of a child, which remained unanswered due to various social and religious reasons.

“These questions should be addressed and answered in a professional manner,” he said.

While talking about the issue of brain drain, Chaudhary said that any nation prospers and progresses due to skilled and talented human resource.

“Our youth must come back to their country after completion of their education and contribute to its development,” he said.

The minister said that “it is our foremost duty to serve the nation.”

He hailed the doctors who completed their studies abroad but have returned to serve in hospitals in Pakistan.

“Some 15 per cent children in the country need psychiatric and genetic treatment,” Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said, while talking to The Express Tribune.

“Genetic services and counselling would help reduce the risk of genetic diseases in the population as well as treatment of mentally-disordered children,” said PIMS Psychiatric Department Chairperson Dr Rizwan Taj.

He said that there was a dire need for creating awareness among the public for the same and a good supportive environment could prevent those problems in the long term.

“Positive relationship with parents, teachers and others; positive school environment, and exposure to positive values are key preventive ingredients,” Dr Taj said.

Prof Adnan Khan from University of Columbia, USA gave a presentation on autism and pervasive developmental disorders.

He offered his complete support for the SZABMU initiatives and promised to contribute by regular visits.

Dr Usama Sabzwari, from the University of Florida, USA talked about childhood depression.

Meanwhile, PIMS Chief Psychologist Asima Khan spoke about psychometric assessment of children.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2016.