Hardly 500 psychiatrists for over 60 million Pakistanis with mental illnesses, event told

More than 60 million Pakistanis are living with mental health conditions while fewer than 500 psychiatrists are available to serve a population of over 240 million, experts said at the Global Conference on Brain and Mental Health hosted by the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) in Karachi. They said the treatment gap required urgent action and integration of mental health into primary healthcare. The three-day conference brought together leading researchers, clinicians, academics, policymakers and community leaders from the country and abroad to discuss solutions for improving brain and mental health in developing countries.