National Mental Health Policy Unveiled at Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, October 1, 2026: The Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026 opened in Islamabad with the launch of the National Mental Health Policy, marking a major step towards expanding accessible, community-based and people-centred mental healthcare across the country.Addressing the inaugural session, Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal said the policy had been developed with the clear objective of bringing mental health services closer to every family in Pakistan.He said mental health was not merely a health-sector concern but a shared national responsibility requiring coordinated efforts across healthcare, education, communities and other sectors.

The minister said an estimated 24 million people in Pakistan require psychiatric assistance, while the country has fewer than one psychiatrist for every 500,000 people. He stressed that behind these figures were children facing difficulties at school, parents unable to work and families struggling to access appropriate care.“Everyone deserves care, dignity and respect,” he said.Syed Mustafa Kamal said the National Mental Health Policy would provide a common national direction while enabling provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to develop responses according to their specific needs.He highlighted the integration of mental health services into primary healthcare, expansion of community-based services and improved access to specialist care as key priorities.

The minister stressed that children and young people must remain at the centre of the national mental health response, with schools, families and healthcare services working together to identify and address mental health concerns at an early stage.He also called for stronger mental health support during floods and other emergencies, enhanced capacity-building for healthcare workers and greater use of digital health services to reach underserved communities.The minister announced that Letters of Understanding (LoUs) 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 the policy development process from the beginning, while the federal government would provide technical assistance to help provinces prepare implementation plans based on their respective needs.“These implementation plans will have clear priorities, responsibilities, timelines and measurable results,” he said.Syed Mustafa Kamal said the ultimate goal was to ensure that mental health services became accessible to people within their own communities.He appreciated the support of provincial leadership, health and education departments and acknowledged the collaboration of the Global Institute of Human Development, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, WHO, UNICEF and other development partners.

The minister further emphasized that people with lived experience of mental health challenges, young people and families should remain actively involved in shaping services that respond to real community needs.The Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026 is being held in Islamabad under the theme, “Building Climate-Resilient and Future-Ready Mental Health Systems for Children, Young People and Communities in Pakistan.”