WORLD Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, comes this year at an important moment for Pakistan. The World Health Organization has selected “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change” as the 2026 theme, calling for people who have experienced mental health conditions to have a meaningful role in shaping policies, services and decisions that affect their lives.
The message is particularly relevant for Pakistan. On 1 October 2026, the Government of Pakistan launched the National Mental Health Policy 2026–2035 during the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit in Islamabad, held on 1–2 October with participation from national and international experts, policymakers, academia, development partners and UN agencies. The policy was developed with WHO, UNICEF and the Global Institute of Human Development.
The numbers demonstrate the scale of the challenge. WHO estimates that approximately 32.4 million people in Pakistan need mental health care, yet only around 5% have access to mental health services. This represents an estimated treatment gap of approximately 95%. Pakistan also has only about 0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, compared with approximately 7 per 100,000 in high-income countries. These figures are more than statistics. Behind them are children struggling with emotional difficulties, young people facing academic and social pressures, adults dealing with economic and family stresses, and older people who may experience isolation or untreated psychological problems. Mental health conditions can affect education, employment, family relationships and quality of life.
Globally, the challenge is equally substantial. WHO reports that more than one billion people live with a mental health condition. Mental health conditions are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, while suicide remains a major public health concern. WHO’s latest estimates indicate that approximately 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021, with suicide ranking among the leading causes of death among people aged 15–29 years.
Pakistan’s new policy provides an opportunity to translate these numbers into practical action. The government has emphasized bringing services closer to families through primary healthcare, schools and communities, with greater attention to prevention, early identification and care. The Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit also highlighted community-based approaches and the importance of placing children and adolescents at the centre of mental health efforts.
The 2026 WHO theme adds another dimension: listening must lead to participation. People with lived experience can identify barriers that may remain invisible to policymakers and service providers. WHO reports that only 45% of countries responding to the Mental Health Atlas 2024 survey had ongoing collaboration with people with lived experience and family or caregiver advocacy groups in planning, delivering, or monitoring mental health services.
For Pakistan, World Mental Health Day 2026 therefore arrives not merely as an awareness occasion, but as an opportunity to turn a newly launched national policy into meaningful action. Expanding community-based services, strengthening the mental health workforce, integrating care into primary healthcare and schools, improving early identification, and listening to people who use services can help close the enormous treatment gap. The real measure of progress will not only be the number of policies written or facilities established. It will be whether a person who needs help can find it early, affordably, respectfully and close to home.
—The writer is public health consultant, based in Islamabad.
