As per conservative estimates, 73.6 million people in Pakistan experience some form of mental illness in their lifetime.

In Karachi alone, an estimated 2 million people suffer from mental, emotional, intellectual or social adjustment disorders.

Despite alarming statistics, mental health remains one of the most shamefully neglected and underserved area of public health.

While many suffer in silence due to the stigma attached to this form of illness, ranging from mild depression, anxiety and panic attacks to more severe mental disorders, like schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder, others stay put due to financial constraints.

How is Karwan – e – Hayat helping?

For more than 38 years, Karwan – e – Hayat, Institute for Mental Healthcare (KeH) has remained one of the largest providers of mental healthcare in Pakistan.

Considering the gap in service provision of mental healthcare systems, Karwan – e – Hayat essentially advocates on behalf of those who have been underprivileged or ignored by the system for too long.

The mental health care institute ensures that every deserving patient receives quality and consistent mental health services, and continuous efforts are made for prevention, relief, treatment and rehabilitation of mentally distressed people.

While 96% of needy patients receive treatment and rehabilitation services free of cost or at highly subsidised rates here, 85% of the patients being treated at Karwan – e – Hayat show a significant reduction in symptoms, better levels of productivity and fewer incidents of relapse upon leaving hospital premises.

Unlike other noncommunicable diseases such as heart or diabetes which afflict humans at a later age in life, mental illness often affects people in the prime of their lives.

Services by KeH are at par with international quality standards of health treatment and procedures; it adopts modern pharmacology and new community approaches which has not only made treatment more holistic and effective but also paved way for the patient to return to a functional life.

When asked about their journey, Mr. Zaheeruddin Babar, CEO Karwan – e – Hayat, describes, "The first Karwan – e – Hayat outpatients’ clinic in Punjab Colony started functioning in July 1983. This was the brainchild of Dr. Zafar Qureshi who was then the Head of Psychiatry at Liaquat General Hospital. He was increasingly distressed by the plight of poor psychiatric patients who lived in misery because they could not afford to pay for their treatment so he decided to set up a free clinic to help them. Begum Liaquat Ali Khan was among the founding director of Karwan-e-Hayat, along with a number of other important and influential citizens of Karachi. Today, KeH functions as a 100 bed hospital and rehabilitation unit in Kemari with an outpatient facility at Jami and a community Psychiatry Centre in Korangi."

Karwan – e – Hayat's services during the Covid-19 pandemic

Pakistan was already teetering on the economic front when the Covid-19 outbreak plunged it into further distress.

With the existing healthcare infrastructure already weak and woefully inadequate, the trauma brought about by constant medical alerts led to an alarming increase in anxiety and panic attacks among the masses suddenly forced to live in isolation due to the deadly virus.

Never has the need for mental health care been greater or more urgent.

Fortunately, one of the unique features of Karwan – e – Hayat is its psychiatric rehabilitation program which runs as a day treatment program and includes psychotherapy, family psycho education and case management.

With the goal to enable patients' return to regular lifestyle, the rehab runs as an evidence-based program which has been introduced, taught and monitored by faculty members of Rutgers University, USA for more than a decade.

Instilling useful life skills in patients

At KeH, patients are reintroduced to activities such as arts and craft, yoga and physical exercises with invaluable skills like music training, computer training, stitching, beautician tips, library sessions, cooking classes and gardening.

Patients learn life skills, vocational skills and, in some cases, become eligible for sheltered employment within the institute.

Mr. Zaheeruddin also emphasised that community at large has a role to play in respecting the rights and needs of people with mental illnesses. He says, "In low and middle-income countries, between 76% and 85% of people with mental disorders receive no treatment for their illness. In addition to support from health-care services, people with mental illness require social support and care. This is the service gap that Karwan – e – Hayat seeks to fill with timely, professional and caring treatment of mental illnesses and the rehabilitation of patients so that they can live and be active in their own communities."

Talking about challenges, he said, "The stigma associated with mental illness has been Karwan – e – Hayat’s greatest challenge and it has constantly tried to counter this negativity. With the determination to provide healing options to people facing mental health challenges, Karwan – e – Hayat has given hope to thousands of people."

How can you help?

The corporate sector and high net-worth individuals can help facilities like Karwan – e – Hayatrun not just treatment programs, but also ensure vocational training of these patients that would help them lead a productive life.

If you're looking to contribute, Karwan – e – Hayat can be contacted at:

Karwan – e – Hayat Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Centre, Near KPT Hospital and Ziauddin Hospital, Keamari, Karachi

Phone: UAN: (021) 111-534-111

Email: info@keh.org.pk

Website: www.keh.org.pk

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