ISLAMABAD: The federal government, in collaboration with global and local partners, has launched the National Mental Health Policy 2026-2035, aiming to reach over 32.4 million people in need of mental health care.
The policy was formally launched on Thursday by the Federal Minister for National Health Services and Regulation, Mustafa Kamal, on the occasion of Pakistan’s Global Mental Health Summit, organized in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Institute of Human Development (GIHD) – Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU).
The summit is being attended by 800 in-person and online participants, including mental health experts, academia, international development partners, and policymakers. The objective is to discuss evidence-based actions that can advance, in Pakistan and globally, the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2030, an international framework approved by all Member States of the World Health Assembly.
WHO estimates that approximately 32.4 million people need mental health care in Pakistan, yet only around 5 percent of the population has access to mental health services, leaving a treatment gap of approximately 95 percent. The limited availability of a qualified workforce compounds this lack of access. Pakistan has approximately 0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, compared with an average of 7 per 100,000 people in high-income countries.
Addressing the participants, Kamal said that mental health is an emergency in Pakistan as well as a national security issue and a national economic issue. Pakistan needs to bring everyone together, including every ministry and every individual, and everybody has to play their role to create a safe and healthy space to live for the people of this country, Mustafa Kamal.
He said that all the stakeholders have to work hard and the participants of the conference need to lead to action, and we are thankful to all national and provincial institutions, authorities, and international and national partners for working together to address this important crisis.
Kamal stressed that the National Mental Health Policy marks a shared commitment to bring care closer to every family.
Speaking on the occasion, State Minister for Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath said that working with provincial governments, we will translate this commitment into practical action in schools, primary healthcare and communities, so that people can access support early, with dignity and respect. “Investing in mental health is a smart investment. Every dollar invested in addressing conditions including depression and anxiety yields four dollars in returns through better health and improved productivity,” said
WHO Director General (DG) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “There is no shame in needing mental health support. Anyone can be affected at some point in our lives. WHO is committed to working with Pakistan and all countries to ensure that everyone has access to the mental health support they need, no matter where they live or who they are; because there is no health without mental health.”
“Mental health and well-being are fundamental to children’s ability to learn, develop and thrive. We must put children and adolescents at the centre of mental health efforts, with greater focus on prevention, early identification, and care. As climate change and digital environments increasingly affect young lives, mental health resilience must be part of building a healthier, more resilient generation,” said UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, Pernille Ironside.
Dr Syed Usman Hamdani, Director of the Global Institute of Human Development, said that Pakistan is undergoing a significant transformation in its mental health agenda. Through sustained investments in research, implementation science, policy development and community-based innovation, the country has demonstrated that effective mental healthcare can be delivered through primary healthcare, schools and communities using scalable, evidence-informed approaches,” said Dr Syed Usman Hamdani, Director of the Global Institute of Human Development.
Pakistan aims to consolidate the Global Mental Health Summit as its flagship international platform for advancing mental health policy, implementation science, innovation and global partnerships, while promoting equitable, climate-resilient and future-ready mental health systems.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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