Experts To Take Emergency Measures For Addressing Mental Health Issues In GB

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

GILGIT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2022 ) :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 & Prisons Department, Secretary Finance, representatives of Health Department & education Department, and experts from Aga Khan University and Rupani Foundation.

Experts from Aga Khan University & 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 & 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 students to be communicated learning related to mental health and depression through curricula based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization.

He added that it was decided that in order to avoid negative competition leading to depression among students which, as an aftereffect, leads to suicides, the percentage system of grading in schools would be abolished in favor of standard grading scale.

The final result of all the classes including Matric and F.Sc would be kept confidential and would only be communicated to the concerned student in order to stop naming and shaming based on marks obtained. He said that the Federal Board, on the request of the Government of Gilgit Baltistan has already committed to do the same for all the students of the board studying in Gilgit Baltistan.

He informed that the following directives were issued to speed up the measures planned to prevent suicides across the region: Heath Department to expedite the process of hiring of psychologists and psychiatrists with a deadline towards the end of this week.

The Health Department to ensure that information regarding commission of suicide in any part of the region is to be shared with SSP of that District within 24 Hours with directive to identify its causes, take necessary action in order to prevent its happening again.

Education Department along with Heath Department and District Administration to vigilantly monitor that the steps that have been identified to prevent suicide are taken in letter and spirit to achieve the goal that is envisioned.

A fortnightly meeting to gauge the progress of the measures identified regarding prevention of suicides in Gilgit Baltistan would be conducted.