‘90% of population does not visit psychiatrists’

A panel of prominent doctors shed light on the importance of mental health

KARACHI:

In Pakistan, there are less than 500 psychiatrists while 90% of the population does not go to psychiatrists, said a health expert Dr Jaipal Chhabria while addressing the audience at a seminar conducted on World Mental Health Day. The seminar was organised in collaboration with Dr Essa Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) auditorium.

A panel of prominent doctors including Dr Iqbal Afridi, Dr Iqbal Memon, Dr Farhan Essa Abdullah, Dr Nighat Shah, Dr Ajmal Mughal and Dr Yahaya Tunio shed light on the importance of mental health and well-being.

Chairman Sindh Mental Health Authority, Dr Kareem Khawaja was also among the speakers.

On the occasion, Former Dean and Ex-HOD Psychiatry JPMC, Dr Iqbal Afridi explained about the anxiety disorders, its component, types, causes and symptoms.

"Anxiety is a universal phenomenon but we need to think about it when the reason of anxiety is not discovered. There is no harm in going to see mental health experts and discuss your problem because it should be handled before it triggers," Afridi said.

Dr Ajmal Mughal, a consultant psychiatrist talked about the mental illness of prisoners and what do they experience in jails.

He addressed the circumstances of the prisoners with mental illness in the central jail and highlighted the importance of the need to facilitate the prisoners as per their rights.

Former HOD Pediatric Civil Hospital, Dr Iqbal Memon talked about the mental illness in children. He also emphasised on the well-being of a mother when she is pregnant.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2022.