October 10, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 27, 1428

PESHAWAR, Oct 9: Psychiatrists have expressed concern over the rising cases of mental ailments in the country and have called for training of more doctors in the field to cope with the situation.

“Last year, some 3,210 people committed suicide in the country, which is a matter of grave concern,” said Dr Syed Mohammad Sultan, head of the psychiatry department of the Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar.

Speaking at a news conference in connection with the Mental Health Day on Tuesday, he said that it was the tip of the iceberg because hundreds of suicide cases went unreported.

He said the government and doctors were helpless because the aggravating law and order situation in the country provided a breeding ground for mental illnesses.

Citing a WHO report, he said that on average 877,000 people committed suicide worldwide every year.

He said family physicians and general cadre doctors should be trained so that they could examine and treat people suffering from mental problems.

“Restlessness, crimes, price-hike and unemployment have risen to such levels that people are becoming vulnerable to mental problems,” he added.