Implementation On Reform Policies Needed For Mental Health Promotion: Prof. Michael Crawford

Prof. Michael Crawford of Imperial college London has said that it would be useful to monitor progress in implementing reform policies, providing community services, and involving users

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2017 ) :Prof. Michael Crawford of Imperial college London has said that it would be useful to monitor progress in implementing reform policies, providing community services, and involving users, families and stakeholders in mental health promotion, prevention, care and rehabilitation.

He was speaking in an inauguration ceremony of 3 days National Psychiatric Conference held here at hotel on Friday evening. Prof. Michael Crawford said that mental health is a major concern as mental disorders are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability.

He stressed need for maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy and lactation. He said that the World Health Organization assessment instrument for mental health system was used to collect information on the mental health system in Pakistan.He further said that nutrition policy had prioritized protein which is for body growth.

Brain is the first priority on homo-sapiens. Our genome is 98.5 percent similar to the chimpanzee, he said and added that last century science and food policy focused on protein and body growth.Prof Michael Crawford said that it is the brain which makes human different from monkeys, apes and all other animals.

He said that low birth weight and premature birth could cause severe neuro-developmental disorder. He said that someone cannot solve mental ill-heal without addressing brain development i.e. adverse pregnancy outcomes.

He concluded that we suggest agricultural sing lakes, seas and oceans that only sustainable solution for humanity.

Prof. Muwadat Hussain Rana shared his inaugural lecture on mental health and post modernism with some beautiful lines of Dante that in the middle of our life's walk, I found myself alone in a dark forest, where my path was confused.He said that essential tenets consisted of relativity of reality and truth, no ideals, no definitions, personalized ethics, no grammar but computer language symbols (removal of linguistic barriers) and others.

While giving a thematic lecture on ways to build partnership with Pakistan Psychiatric Society, President Pakistan India Bangladesh chapter Brain Trust Prof Ahmed Ali Khan called for building partnerships, promoting and improving mental health of people, understanding religious and cultural beliefs, appointing cultural advisers.

He said that teaching and training of outstanding psychiatrists consisting of understanding need to promote excellent mental health services, improve scientific understanding of mental illness and promote psychiatry as profession in Pakistan, improve outcomes of people, train outstanding psychiatrist and ensure fair funding for these services, he added.He said that training in this sub-specialty is essential.

Stigma attached to mental and emotional disorders, lack of school health service are some of the important issues, he said and added that media should educate the masses that most mental disorders were curable through medication, counseling and proper care.