President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon all stakeholders to address stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health, strengthen community-based services and ensure that mental health remains an integral part of universal health coverage and national development.
President Zardari calls for action to end mental health stigma, strengthen community-based services
ISLAMABAD, Oct 9 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari has called upon all stakeholders to address stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health, strengthen community-based services and ensure that mental health remains an integral part of universal health coverage and national development.
In his message on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, the president urged collective efforts to build a Pakistan where every person was heard, valued and treated with dignity, and mental health was recognised as an essential component of public health and well-being.
Highlighting the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” he emphasised the importance of listening to people who had experienced mental health challenges and incorporating their perspectives into policies, services and decisions affecting their lives.
The president said mental health was an integral part of health, human dignity and national development. He stressed the need to ensure that people could seek mental health support without stigma or discrimination and had access to quality and affordable services.
He appreciated the contributions of health professionals, civil society organisations, development partners, communities and families in strengthening mental health services and promoting the integration of mental health into primary healthcare and broader health and social development initiatives.
President Zardari underscored the importance of extending mental health support to all segments of society, particularly children and young people, women, persons with disabilities, vulnerable populations and those affected by emergencies and adversity.
He also called for moving beyond awareness campaigns towards meaningful action to improve access to mental health services, eliminate discrimination and ensure that people with lived experience played a central role in shaping the support systems designed for them.
The president reaffirmed the need for a society in which every individual could access appropriate mental health care and live with dignity and hope.
