ISLAMABAD,State Minister for Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath has said that around 32 million people in Pakistan require mental health care, while the country faces an estimated 95 percent treatment gap in mental health services.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit, Bharath said the two-day event should be viewed not as an end, but as the beginning of a practical national effort to strengthen mental health services.
He said the summit brought together experts, partners and young people whose views would help shape a clearer direction for Pakistan’s mental health sector.
According to the minister, ensuring that mental health services are available close to the homes of children, young people and adults should be treated as a national priority.
Mental Health Treatment Gap
Bharath said the estimated 32 million people requiring mental health care and the 95 percent treatment gap represent more than statistics, as the issue directly affects millions of individuals and families across Pakistan.
He also cited an estimated suicide rate of around 10 deaths per 100,000 people annually, stressing that every such death represents a human life rather than merely a statistic.
The minister said mental health conditions are treatable and recovery is possible, adding that mental health services need to become part of the country’s primary healthcare system as well as schools.
National Mental Health Policy 2026–35
Bharath said the National Mental Health Policy 2026–35 provides a practical framework for strengthening mental health services across Pakistan.
He called on the provinces and federal territories to provide written endorsement of the policy within 45 days.
The government also plans to establish a National Hub of Excellence for Mental Health, while the minister said significant progress in mental health services, workforce capacity and systems should be visible within the next two to three years.
He said the government would work to expand the mental health workforce, including psychologists in schools.
Mental health, he added, would increasingly be incorporated into legislation, budgets, health benefit packages and health data systems as part of a broader effort to integrate mental healthcare into the country’s health system.