Pakistan has more than 32 million people living with mental health disorders, according to Ministry of Health data presented in the National Assembly, highlighting a growing public health concern.
Webdesk-Sardar Muneeb
The number of people suffering from mental health disorders in Pakistan has exceeded 32 million, according to figures presented by the Ministry of National Health Services in the National Assembly.
Data from the Global Burden of Disease study presented by the ministry revealed that more than 32.04 million people in Pakistan are affected by mental health disorders.
According to the ministry, the number of people suffering from mental health conditions in Islamabad reached 300,000 by 2023. Meanwhile, the country currently has only 1,050 registered psychiatrists.
The ministry reported that Punjab has 406 psychiatrists, Sindh 228, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 122, and Balochistan 44. Overall, Pakistan has only one psychiatrist for every 245,400 people, highlighting a significant shortage of mental health professionals.
The ministry also shared figures regarding HIV/AIDS cases across the country, reporting a total of 3,900 affected individuals.
Sindh has the highest number of reported cases, with 1,915 patients, followed by Punjab with 1,765 cases.
According to the ministry, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 139 HIV/AIDS patients, Balochistan 46, Islamabad 30, Azad Jammu and Kashmir four, and Gilgit-Baltistan one.
