Assessing the Mental Health Service Delivery Mechanism in Punjab: Recommendations for Enhancing Access, Quality and Equity of Mental Health Service

Abstract

This paper will study Mental Health service delivery mechanism in province of Punjab in Pakistan with special emphasis on situation analysis of strengths and shortcomings of recent digital and institutional initiatives taken by Government of Punjab with policy interventions required to enhance their quality, equity and effectiveness. History of Mental health in Pakistan start from Pakistan Lunacy Act 1912 which after 18th amendment was renamed as Punjab Mental Health Act 2014. This study focuses on treatment of neurotic and psychotic illness offered in public and private sector along with new regimes of rehabilitation, drug addiction prognosis and community-based service delivery recently started in upscale area of Lahore, Punjab. It will also study in detail Health Management Information System (HMIS) dashboard recently developed by Punjab Information Technology Board in year 2024 and will do its comparative analysis with HMIS Dashboard of National Health Service United Kingdom. It will also calculate long term social benefit arising out of treatment of mentally ill patients at basic minimum wage in Punjab in current scenario. To fulfill psychiatry vison of WHO 2030 evidence based continuing education policy must be adopted for upgradation of Mental Health Services in Tertiary Care hospitals in Punjab. To integrate it in primary healthcare local health Infrastructure must be mobilized and trained to enhance its equity. Furthermore, procurement of psychotropic medications must be aligned with intellectual property rights to enhance their accessibility. It will also outline areas for sustainable financial solutions for public private partnerships to fund mental health facilities on sustainable and equitable basis.