The 'Dignity in Mental Health' was practically shown by 'Unity among the mental health professionals'.
Prof. Nasar Sayeed Khan, Head of Psychiatry Unit, Services Institute of Medical Sciences & President Elect of Pakistan Psychiatric Society (PPS) hosted the mental health day. It was attended by all the psychiatric units of public and several private medical colleges of Lahore.
Prof. Najma Najm, A veteran academician and former vice chancellor with over 44 years of experience, started with a presentation on dignity of mentally ill. She used the words of Victor Frankl to emphasize the importance of how you are treated equally with the treatment itself.
Dr Shehryar Jovinda, Child Psychiatrist from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, spoke about the challenges faced by the youth of this generation. He highlighted the key disorders and their implications in children.
Prof. Altaf Qadir , Head of Psychiatry Department Lahore General Hospital, highlighted the plights faced by Manto in his lifetime. Being rejected in his life and now his work was being given credit is a too familiar scene. This has been happening to the artists specially those inflicted by mental ailments including substance abuse problems.
Dr Roohi, Clinical psychologist from BNU highlighted the importance of all the different disciplines to come together and work in unison.
Dr Muhammasd Nasrullah, Head of Neurology at Central Park Medical College, leading neurologist shared his view of the difference between a psychiatrist and a neurologist humorously in following words, ' the diseases which are understood belongs to neurologist while those not understood belongs to psychiatry'.
Prof. Aftab Asif, talked about the behavioural sciences and the attitude issues needed to be addressed in the coming times. There was a time when the word 'behave' was enough. Now it has evolved into a full discipline.
Prof. Abdul Shakoor, talked at length about the different dimensions of psychiatry interface with human emotions through poetry.
Prof. Athar Javed, Head of Neurology Department, Mayo Hospital, gave a beautiful description of dementia. He spoke about its different aspects.
The visual aids consisted of some selected paragraphs concerning mentally ill patients for example a read from the ....'Toba Tek Singh' narration of division of patients at the time of partition.
There was a run of commentary on the famous Roohi Bano who suffers from schizophrenia and has been associated with Fountain House. It highlighted our deplorable attitude to people, poor or famous alike, when inflicted by mental ailments.
A very interesting speech by Prof. Hamid Butt, a Kemcolian and Principal of SIMS. He talked at length about the importance of emotional E.Q. He quoted Descartes quotations and poetry from all the giants, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Iqbal and the great Ghalib. He appreciated the efforts of Prof. Nasar in bringing together psychiatrist, psychologists, neurophysicians, family physicians and neurosurgeons together under one roof to celebrate this day.
Prof. Nasar Sayeed Khan, Head of Psychiatry Unit, Services Institute of Medical Sciences & President Elect of Pakistan Psychiatric Society (PPS) hosted the mental health day. It was attended by all the psychiatric units of public and several private medical colleges of Lahore.
Prof. Najma Najm, A veteran academician and former vice chancellor with over 44 years of experience, started with a presentation on dignity of mentally ill. She used the words of Victor Frankl to emphasize the importance of how you are treated equally with the treatment itself.
Dr Shehryar Jovinda, Child Psychiatrist from Shaukat Khanum Hospital, spoke about the challenges faced by the youth of this generation. He highlighted the key disorders and their implications in children.
Prof. Altaf Qadir , Head of Psychiatry Department Lahore General Hospital, highlighted the plights faced by Manto in his lifetime. Being rejected in his life and now his work was being given credit is a too familiar scene. This has been happening to the artists specially those inflicted by mental ailments including substance abuse problems.
Dr Roohi, Clinical psychologist from BNU highlighted the importance of all the different disciplines to come together and work in unison.
Dr Muhammasd Nasrullah, Head of Neurology at Central Park Medical College, leading neurologist shared his view of the difference between a psychiatrist and a neurologist humorously in following words, ' the diseases which are understood belongs to neurologist while those not understood belongs to psychiatry'.
Prof. Aftab Asif, talked about the behavioural sciences and the attitude issues needed to be addressed in the coming times. There was a time when the word 'behave' was enough. Now it has evolved into a full discipline.
Prof. Abdul Shakoor, talked at length about the different dimensions of psychiatry interface with human emotions through poetry.
Prof. Athar Javed, Head of Neurology Department, Mayo Hospital, gave a beautiful description of dementia. He spoke about its different aspects.
The visual aids consisted of some selected paragraphs concerning mentally ill patients for example a read from the ....'Toba Tek Singh' narration of division of patients at the time of partition.
There was a run of commentary on the famous Roohi Bano who suffers from schizophrenia and has been associated with Fountain House. It highlighted our deplorable attitude to people, poor or famous alike, when inflicted by mental ailments.
A very interesting speech by Prof. Hamid Butt, a Kemcolian and Principal of SIMS. He talked at length about the importance of emotional E.Q. He quoted Descartes quotations and poetry from all the giants, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Iqbal and the great Ghalib. He appreciated the efforts of Prof. Nasar in bringing together psychiatrist, psychologists, neurophysicians, family physicians and neurosurgeons together under one roof to celebrate this day.
Prof. M Nasar Sayeed Khan
It gives me great pleasure and pride to announce the theme for our celebrations of the “International Mental Health Day- Dignity in mental Health” to be held on 10th of October, 2015. Dignity in Mental Health, is a very elementary, yet undermined notion in mental Health, hence the recent emphasis being paid internationally to this subject. Michael Parkinson, Dignity Ambassador for the Dignity in Care campaign in the UK, agrees that dignity is diffi cult to defi ne. He suggests maybe “compassion” is a better word’ (Parkinson 2008, p. 14). Hence mental health professionals have to make mental health care empathetic, unprejudiced , and patient centered and undertake an attitude of respect.
As mental health professionals struggling in a community for better recognition and service allocation, this is a highly important need of our field. We must strive to achieve a human rights-based approach to mental health care by ensuring that our patients human rights are protected at a time when their capacity, autonomy, choice and control may be compromised due to their prevailing condition. Moreover, provide patient-centered care that is individualized, comprehensive and provided in a secure, respectful way.
Dignity in mental health is not limited to patient care but also entails promoting a positive organizational ethos-by encouraging an ethos of respect and dignity. We must also provide training, clinical supervision and support – adopt measures to examine our own attitudes and to feel supported in our respective roles, whether it be psychiatrists, psychologists, nursing staff, social workers and all other allied professionals. This is monumental in treating patients with respect and minimizing discriminatory behavior towards mentally ill out of lack of support.
In our country, these issues are often over looked which has created a huge stigma and shame associated with people having mental illnesses. Pakistan Psychiatric Society has played a prominent role in undoing these issues and dealing with discrimination – through individual and local community initiatives, national programmes, policy and legislative measures. This includes but not limited to direly needed revisions to the National Mental Health Act, establishing mental health departments across the country, inducting more post graduate trainees in the field and developing a close alliance with related professionals such as clinical psychologists and social workers. However, these are just baby steps in establishing strong foundations for a brighter future. Let us join hands in committing to this righteous cause and to our community in creating empowered lives.
Warmest regards,
Dr. M Nasar Sayeed Khan
Professor of Psychiatry
President (Elect) Pakistan Psychiatric Society
nasarsayeed@yahoo.com
As mental health professionals struggling in a community for better recognition and service allocation, this is a highly important need of our field. We must strive to achieve a human rights-based approach to mental health care by ensuring that our patients human rights are protected at a time when their capacity, autonomy, choice and control may be compromised due to their prevailing condition. Moreover, provide patient-centered care that is individualized, comprehensive and provided in a secure, respectful way.
Dignity in mental health is not limited to patient care but also entails promoting a positive organizational ethos-by encouraging an ethos of respect and dignity. We must also provide training, clinical supervision and support – adopt measures to examine our own attitudes and to feel supported in our respective roles, whether it be psychiatrists, psychologists, nursing staff, social workers and all other allied professionals. This is monumental in treating patients with respect and minimizing discriminatory behavior towards mentally ill out of lack of support.
In our country, these issues are often over looked which has created a huge stigma and shame associated with people having mental illnesses. Pakistan Psychiatric Society has played a prominent role in undoing these issues and dealing with discrimination – through individual and local community initiatives, national programmes, policy and legislative measures. This includes but not limited to direly needed revisions to the National Mental Health Act, establishing mental health departments across the country, inducting more post graduate trainees in the field and developing a close alliance with related professionals such as clinical psychologists and social workers. However, these are just baby steps in establishing strong foundations for a brighter future. Let us join hands in committing to this righteous cause and to our community in creating empowered lives.
Warmest regards,
Dr. M Nasar Sayeed Khan
Professor of Psychiatry
President (Elect) Pakistan Psychiatric Society
nasarsayeed@yahoo.com
Dr. Afzal Javed
Dignity in Mental Health is a basic but relatively ignored component of mental health, especially in our setup therefore this need for mental health professionals to show respect and empathy to their patients. We must strive to achieve a human rights-based approach to mental health care by ensuring that our patients hum rights are protected at a time when their capacity, autonomy, choice and control may be compromised due to their prevailing condition. Moreover, provide patient-centered care that is individualized, comprehensive and provided in a secure, respectful way.
In our country, these issues are over looked which has created a huge stigma and shame associated with people having mental illnesses. So we should join hand in committing to this righteous cause and to our community in creating empowered lives.
Regards,
Dr. Afzal Javed
President WAPR
afzal.javed@ntlworld.com
In our country, these issues are over looked which has created a huge stigma and shame associated with people having mental illnesses. So we should join hand in committing to this righteous cause and to our community in creating empowered lives.
Regards,
Dr. Afzal Javed
President WAPR
afzal.javed@ntlworld.com
