Experts to take emergency measures for addressing mental health issues in GB.

GILGIT -- A meeting was held here in Gilgit under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Muhiudeen Wani to address the issues of mental health and also issue of suicide in GB. The officials and experts from Health Department, Aga Khan University and Rupani Foundation briefed the meeting regarding the interventions planned to tackle the menace of suicides in the region.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Home and Prisons Department, Secretary Finance, representatives of Health Department and Education Department, and experts from Aga Khan University and Rupani Foundation.

Experts from Aga Khan University and Rupani Foundation identified the main reasons of rising trend of suicides in the region. These reasons include:

Severe depression among the masses especially the youth associated with mental health and lack of access for its treatment, Unemployment, Poverty, Family issues, Deficiency of Vitamin D, Unbridled access to poison and weapons, adverse impact of Climate Change.

Based on the reasons for suicides identified, the following interventions have been planned:

The hiring of psychologists and psychiatrists to make the access of treatment easier for the populace.

Creation of 10-Bed and 5-Bed wards for patients suffering from mental illness in Gilgit and Skardu respectively.

Engagement of Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in the prevention of suicide by providing them with proper training. In this regard, establishment of a Toll-free hotline with trained healthcare staff for the prevention of suicides with 24/7 service provision.

Imparting training related to mental health to teachers to equip them with skills necessary not only to identify and mitigate mental health problems - but also to better manage students in general, day-to-day classroom situations.

Vitamin-D supplements to be provided to both school-going boys and girls as well as their mothers to alleviate its deficiency.

Making sure that each school has a volunteer faculty member who would be provided with proper training related to mental health issues to act as a guidance councilor and address the issues of the students before they culminate into something leading to suicidal thoughts.

He said that...