Psychiatry in Pakistan

Psychiatric services in Pakistan have undergone considerable changes since independence 50 years ago. There has been an increased awareness of psychiatric illness on both public and professional levels and great emphasis has been laid on the education and training of medical and related professions in recent years. Although old traditional methods still prevail, it is becoming increasingly common to seek professional psychiatric advice. Like any developing country, however, much remains to be done especially on a government level in order to meet the basic mental health needs of the nation.