On World Health Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proclaimed the launch of the government’s first mental health assistance application, Humraaz, as well as an integrated helpline.
The prime minister stated on his official Twitter account that “the well-being of our citizens, especially their mental health, is crucial for the advancement of our society.”
“We must eliminate stigma surrounding mental health,” he added.
On this World Health Day today, I am pleased to announce the launch of Government’s first dedicated mental health App #Humraaz & helpline. Citizens’ well-being & especially mental health is paramount for our society’s improvement. We need to remove taboo around mental health. pic.twitter.com/PurQ2rupi0
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2023
The application will provide psychotherapy, daily activity tracking, professional connections, chatbots, WhatsApp support, and appointment scheduling.
The initiative’s flyer also invited psychologists and psychiatrists to register for the app and participate in the government’s initiative.
Prior to this, President Dr. Arif Alvi urged all stakeholders, including the federal and provincial governments, the community, and health professionals, to collaborate on the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders.
24 percent of the country’s population suffers from mental health issues, but only 500 to 600 mental health professionals are available to meet their requirements, according to him.
In addition to strengthening the capacity of general health professionals by educating them, he emphasised the need to increase the number of mental health professionals to address the challenge of rising mental illness.