The Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026 concluded today in Islamabad with a renewed commitment to strengthen mental health systems through coordinated action, sustainable financing and community based approaches.
The two day Summit, held on October 1–2 in conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2026, brought together national and international experts, policymakers, development partners, UN agencies, academia, civil society and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging mental health challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, addressing the closing ceremony of the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026, called for coordinated and sustained action to make quality mental health services accessible to people across Pakistan.
The Minister said that over the two day Summit, national and international stakeholders had listened to evidence, partners and young people, reaffirming the vision of a Pakistan where every child, young person and adult can access mental health care close to home and where mental health services are integrated into primary healthcare and educational institutions in every province and federating area.
Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath noted that around 32 million people in Pakistan require mental health care, while the treatment gap remains approximately 95 percent. He emphasized that behind these figures are millions of people whose lives are affected by mental health conditions and that is the gap this Summit aims to close.
The Minister highlighted that mental health conditions remain a major cause of compromised health among women and a significant cause among men, while suicide continues to be a serious public health concern. He stressed that mental illness is treatable and recovery is possible with timely and accessible care.
He said that the Summit had marked important milestones, including the launch of the National Mental Health Policy, national programmes for child and adolescent mental health through schools and adoption of the Islamabad Declaration for Global Mental Health.
Calling for provincial ownership, the Minister requested all provinces and federating areas to provide their written endorsement within 45 days to facilitate implementation of the policy and commitments on the ground.
He announced that a National Hub of Excellence would be established in collaboration with provincial partners to serve as a technical platform for translating evidence into policy, strengthening capacity and supporting the mental health workforce.
The Minister further stated that within the next 12 months, a sustainable, costed and time bound implementation and monitoring plan would be developed in consultation with the provinces.
Looking ahead over the next two to three years, Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath outlined three key priorities: expanding mental health services through primary and community based care across provinces and regions; strengthening the mental health workforce, including school psychologists; and ensuring that mental health is reflected in laws, budgets, benefit packages and health data systems.
The Minister thanked WHO, UNICEF, the Global Institute of Human Development at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, provincial governments, development partners, young people and people with lived experience for their contributions to the Summit.
He called upon all partners to align behind one national action plan and urged stakeholders to transform the commitments made at the Summit into concrete action to ensure accessible, affordable and quality mental health services for children, adolescents, young people, women and marginalized communities across Pakistan.
