Experts from across South Asia have called for stronger mental health systems, regional collaboration and evidence-based policymaking to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents.
South Asia report calls for stronger child mental health systems
ISLAMABAD, Oct 09 (APP): Experts from across South Asia have called for stronger mental health systems, regional collaboration and evidence-based policymaking to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents.
The call was made at the launch of the South Asia Child and Adolescent Mental Health Landscape Analysis Report and Policy Brief, which brought together regional evidence and expert perspectives on the challenges and priorities in child and adolescent mental health.
The session opened with remarks by Gunter Boussery, Chief of Health at UNICEF Pakistan, while Dr. Syed Usman Hamdani, Founding Director of the Global Institute of Human Development at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, presented the report and moderated the discussion.
Experts from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Egypt shared insights into the current mental health landscape, highlighting the need to strengthen healthcare systems, improve cross-country learning and translate research findings into effective policies and services.
The discussion featured Prof. Dr. Ayesha Minhas, Dr. Eranga Rajapakshe, Dr. Gunjan Dhonju, Dr. Sifat E. Syed, Ms. Neelima Chhetri and Dr. Eman Gaber.
The participants emphasized that addressing child and adolescent mental health challenges requires coordinated efforts across countries, sectors and institutions, alongside policies informed by reliable evidence and regional experiences.
They urged the importance of turning policy commitments into practical action to improve mental health outcomes for children and adolescents.
