Govt enhances treatment facilities for mentally ill

Minister says positive attitude of family and care of such patients helps in early recovery

LAHORE: Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the Punjab government was enhancing treatment facilities for mentally retarded and psycho patients.

He said that full-fledged psychiatry departments were working in all the tertiary care hospitals. Moreover, government had enhanced such facilities at district headquarters level and psychiatrists had been posted in the DHQ hospitals to provide medical treatment to the patients, he added.



He stated this while talking to media persons after leading an awareness walk arranged by the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) to mark the World Mental Health Day on Tuesday. The awareness walk was started from the premises of PIMH and finished at the gate of Jillani Park. Besides, PIMH Chief Executive Dr Nasir Mehmood Bhatti, doctors, nurses, paramedics and the patients participated in the walk.

Rafique said that positive attitude of family and care of mentally ill patients helped in ameliorating symptoms of disease and early recovery. He said that it was a collective responsibility of society to be more caring toward such patients and do not make fun of mentally retarted people.



Rafique said that the Health Department was working to introduce amendments in the legislation which was done in 2014 regarding mental health. Moreover, Mental Health Authority was also being activated, he added.

Dr Bhatti informed reporters that the institution was providing treatment as well as rehabilitation facilities to the patients. He said that such patients who started recovery are shifted to the rehabilitation center where according to their interest and tendency, different skills including paintings, handicrafts, music etc. were imparted to them so that pressure on their mind could be reduced and they could adjust themselves in the society.

While appreciating the services of doctors, nurses and paramedics of PIMH, the health minister said that health professionals were doing tremendous job and took care of such people who were discarded by their blood relations. Rafique said that this was a great service to humanity and a real worship.

On this occasion, Rafique also inaugurated the exhibition of paintings and handicrafts prepared by the inmates of the rehabilitation center. He appreciated the artistic skills of the patients and gave Rs10,000 cash prize to them from his own pocket.

A seminar was also arranged in the institution in connection with the World Mental Day. Various renowned psychiatrists/specialists including King Edward Medical University’s Psychiatry Professor Dr Aftab Asif and Chief Executive Dr Nasir Mahmood Bhatti addressed the seminar and threw light on the prevention as well as treatment of the mental diseases. They also highlighted the role and responsibilities of the society in rehabilitation and recovery of the psycho patients.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2017.