The number of patients suffering from neurological and mental disorders is rapidly increasing in Pakistan, but a severe shortage of specialists has further complicated the situation. Experts state that approximately 15% of the country’s youth population is affected by some form of mental illness, while at least 25 million people out of the total 240 million population are suffering from these conditions.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, neurologist Dr. Muhammad Wasay revealed that there are only around 400 neurologists across Pakistan, which is extremely inadequate compared to the growing number of patients. He said that it is not just the lungs but the brain that is affected by air pollution, and its impacts are now becoming visible.
He added that neurological diseases are continuously increasing in Pakistan; however, it is unfortunate that district hospitals and basic health units lack an effective system for diagnosis or treatment of these disorders. Due to the absence of such infrastructure, thousands of patients are deprived of timely treatment.
According to experts, 43% of the global population suffers from some form of neurological disorder, while in Sindh, every third person is affected by a mental or neurological condition. These include depression, psychological stress, stroke, and other nerve-related issues.
They also revealed that the number of stroke patients in Pakistan has doubled over the past ten years, and now around 450,000 people suffer strokes annually, with a large proportion facing permanent disability.
Neurologists have called on the government to ensure the availability of CT scans, MRI machines, essential medications, and neurologists in every district hospital to enable the timely diagnosis and treatment of brain-related illnesses. They warned that if immediate action is not taken, the mental health crisis will worsen significantly.
