KARACHI: A counseling centre meant to provide psychological support, especially to poor patients, has been established at Karachi University (KU).

An inaugural ceremony in this regard was held at the KU’s psychology department on Tuesday.

Speaking at the programme, KU Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Ajmal Khan highlighted the need for such a facility, saying that psychological problems were on the rise in society and there was a dire need to educate and train youth on how to handle mental health issues.

“A psychological issue ultimately affects physical well being of a person if proper counseling is not provided at the right time. Most problems in our lives are rooted in our thinking process,” he noted.

According to him, counseling facilities for psychological assistance are needed across the country given the rising number of mental health illnesses, particularly depression. Major causes of depression included acute poverty, unemployment, lack of education and unfulfilled desires, he added.

“In a society like ours where intolerance and social inequality is prevalent, the significance of psychological assistance increases. Relevant education and training help youth play a positive role in national development,” he pointed out.

The vice chancellor also spoke about the university’s financial woes and said efforts were being made to establish an endowment fund of Rs100 million on the campus with the help of KU alumni.

Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof Muhammad Ahmed Qadri paid tributes to late Prof Haider Abbas Rizvi, former chairperson of psychology department, saying that it was his dream to establish such a facility on the campus, which now had come true.

“This center will provide important social service to society,” he remarked in his brief speech.

Prof Qudsia Tariq in her speech shared some statistics on global mental health, highlighting the gravity of situation. “Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world. The WHO estimates that globally around 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, an illness which can lead to suicide. Mental health is as important as physical health,” she observed.

On the centre’s services, she said experts at the department had realised that psychological counseling was out of reach for the poor patients in Pakistan. “That’s why we have made it a point that the facility would also help patients who can’t afford high fees of private clinics.”

Dr Farah Iqbal, head of the KU’s psychology department, described the centre’s establishment as a milestone in the department’s history.

Former chairperson of the department Prof Anila Amber Malik and Sardar Yasin Malik, who provided funds for the centre, also spoke.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2018