Hyderabad:Divisional Commissioner Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi has stressed the need for taking concerted efforts to raise public awareness about mental health, ensure the protection of patients’ rights, and provide timely treatment facilities.
Individuals suffering from mental illnesses should be treated with compassion, empathy, and respect so that they can seek treatment without the fear of social stigma or misconceptions.
He expressed these views while addressing an awareness seminar held at the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Hyderabad, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day.
Commissioner marked that the message regarding mental health could be disseminated through activities such as awareness walks, tableaus, and plays.
It is particularly important to encourage and support the youth to help them overcome mental stress and despair.
The success of such programs is only possible when the messages conveyed through them are adopted in practical life.
Former Director General of Health, Dr. Hadi Bakhsh Jatoi, said that there is a need to improve healthcare facilities due to the shortage of doctors and the rise in various diseases.
In the past, gatherings and social interactions provided opportunities for people to learn from one another; however, the increasing use of modern gadgets is adversely affecting social connections.
He urged doctors to perform their duties with integrity and called upon hospital administrations to prioritize the needs of patients.
Former Judge Abdul Rasool Memon remarked that societal misconceptions and social pressures regarding mental illness often deter affected individuals from visiting hospitals for treatment.
There is a need to encourage such individuals, persuade them to seek treatment, and provide medical facilities without discrimination.
Welcoming the guests, the institute’s Medical Superintendent, Dr. Nisar Ahmed Sohoo,said that mental health is the collective responsibility of the entire society.
Beyond listening attentively to patients and providing treatment with respect and compassion, it is also essential to safeguard their rights.
He urged the Sindh government to provide the services of psychiatrists at Basic Health Units (BHUs) so that the public can access treatment facilities within their own localities.
Shedding light on the institute’s history and services, Dr. Qalb-e Haider noted that the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute was established in 1865. Approximately 700 patients are examined and treated daily in the institute’s Outpatient Department (OPD).
He mentioned that various activities-including counseling, physical exercise, sewing and embroidery, and music therapy-are underway for patient rehabilitation, while efforts are also being made to establish satellite centers in different areas to expand the scope of services.
The seminar was attended among others by by Assistant Commissioner Saud Ahmed Lund, Professor Dr. Abdullah Dayo, Dr. Shahnawaz Dil, Professor Dr. Muhammad Ali Ghoto, Noor Ali Khawaja, Professor Dr. Zeenat Ali, Dr. Darya Khan Laghari, Senior Women Medical Officer Dr. Saba Memon, Professor Dr. Zahra Altaf, Dr. Abdul Razzaq Channa, High Court Bar Vice President Rehana Nazeer, Dr. Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh.
The purpose of the event was to raise awareness about mental health, protect patients’ rights, and promote easy access to psychiatric treatment facility.