PESHAWAR, March 30: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah Khan has expressed concern over an alarming increase in mental disorder cases and has underlined the need for an efficient mechanism to deal with mental illnesses properly and ensure mental health.

He was speaking as chief guest the foundation-laying ceremony of the building of the department of Psychiatry at the Lady Reading Hospital here on Thursday.

The dean, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Dr Arshad Javed; the chief executive, Lady Reading Hospital, Dr Abdus Samad Khan, and the head of the Psychiatry Department, Dr Saeed Farooq, also spoke on the occasion.

The minister said that spiritual bankruptcy; economic disparities and injustice were creating frustration and leading to mental diseases in the society.

"The present growth of mental diseases was alarming," he remarked.

Mr Inayatullah said that the earthquake had highlighted the importance of an efficient network to respond to mental disorder properly.

Referring to the steps planned to improve psychiatry services, he elaborated that construction of the psychiatry department was included in the ADP to deal with mental health properly. He also asked the secretary, Health, to sort out another site for the construction of the Sarhad Psychiatry Hospital to avoid further delay in its establishment. He said that funds for the hospitals had already been allocated.

He also underlined the need for a separate trauma centre to reduce the burden on the Lady Reading Hospital.

Announcing inclusion of a scheme for the improvement of medical and allied disciplines in the Lady Reading Hospital in the next annual development programme, the minister also asked authorities of the hospital to chalk out a plan for beautification of the institution.

Pinpointing the need of drastic changes in the present healthcare delivery system, the minister said that an efficient primary health care system was needed to prevent diseases effectively and to save huge amounts being spent on curative sides.

He termed the present text-based health system harmful for the poor.

"Eighty per cent of all expenditures were borne by individuals while resources were highly misused in the prevailing system," he remarked.

He said that the health department with the collaboration of the GTZ and Institute of Policy Studies was devising an alternative mechanism of financing which would be beneficial for the destitute.

He also suggested reforms in the state-controlled health care delivery system to meet the demands of the rapidly changing environment.