ISLAMABAD, Oct 1 (ABC): Pakistan on Thursday launched its National Mental Health Policy as the government seeks to expand access to mental healthcare across the country, where an estimated 24 million people require psychiatric assistance and there is fewer than one psychiatrist for every 500,000 people.
The policy was launched at the opening of the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026 in Islamabad, with Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal saying it was designed to bring mental healthcare closer to families and provide a common national direction while allowing provinces and regions to respond according to their local needs.
Addressing the inaugural session, the minister said mental health was not solely a health-sector issue but a shared national responsibility requiring coordinated action across health, education, communities and other sectors.
He said mental health disorders constituted a major burden in terms of years lived with disability, while the shortage of psychiatric professionals underscored the need to strengthen services.
“Behind these numbers are children struggling at school, parents unable to work and families looking for help. Everyone deserves care, dignity and respect,” he said.
Mustafa Kamal said the policy covered the entire continuum of care, including promotion and prevention, early identification, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.
Key priorities include integrating mental health into primary healthcare, strengthening community-based services and ensuring access to specialist care where required.
The minister said children and young people would remain at the heart of the national response, with schools, families and health services expected to work together to identify and address mental health needs at an early stage.
He also stressed strengthening mental health support during floods and other emergencies, enhancing the capacity of healthcare workers and expanding digital health services to reach underserved communities.
Mustafa Kamal announced that Letters of Understanding would be signed with provincial health and education departments alongside the Islamabad Declaration for Mental Health to translate policy commitments into practical action.
He said all provinces had participated in developing the policy from the outset, while the federal government would provide technical assistance to help provinces prepare implementation plans according to their respective requirements.
“These implementation plans will have clear priorities, responsibilities, timelines and measurable results,” he said.
The policy provides an overall national direction while allowing the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to develop responses suited to their local circumstances.
The minister said the ultimate objective was to turn national commitments into mental health services that people could access within their own communities.
He acknowledged the participation and support of provincial leadership and health and education departments as well as collaboration from the Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, WHO, UNICEF and other development partners.
Mustafa Kamal said people with lived experience of mental health challenges, young people and families should remain part of the process so that services reflected actual community needs.
The Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026 is being held under the theme “Building Climate-Resilient and Future-Ready Mental Health Systems for Children, Young People and Communities in Pakistan.”
Pakistan launches National Mental Health Policy as 24 million need psychiatric assistance
