Nawabshah: A majority of the patients who visited a free medical camp in Nawabshah were found suffering from mild to moderate and severe depression, while several others were diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, psychiatrists revealed on Saturday.
The camp drew an overwhelming response from the community, exposing the silent yet widespread mental health crisis gripping smaller cities of Sindh.
The one-day free mental health camp was organized by Alkhidmat Foundation in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Pharmevo, where over a hundred men and women underwent psychiatric examinations and received free medicines.
Health experts said the turnout and diagnoses underscored the dire need for accessible mental health services in urban and rural Sindh, where stigma and reliance on unqualified practitioners keep thousands from seeking proper care.
Prof. Dr. Moti Ram Bhatia, head of psychiatry at the Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, examined patients throughout the day and stressed that misconceptions about psychiatric illnesses continue to harm communities.
“Most of the patients we saw were battling depression, while a significant number had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These are not signs of madness but medical conditions that can be treated with medicines and proper therapy,” he told the media.
Dr. Bhatia lamented that people in Nawabshah and nearby districts often turn to faith healers or quacks instead of doctors, which worsens their condition.
“Unfortunately, the stigma is so deep that families hide these illnesses instead of treating them. Mental disorders are like diabetes or hypertension — they require medical attention, not denial,” he said.
Alkhidmat Foundation officials highlighted that the turnout was proof of the rising burden of untreated psychiatric illnesses. They said communities across Sindh are struggling with depression, anxiety, substance use and trauma linked to unemployment, poverty and recurrent floods. “Mental health is largely ignored in our health system, which makes such free community-based interventions critical. But without government support, we cannot meet the scale of the need,” an Alkhidmat representative remarked.
Pharmevo officials, which partnered in the initiative, said the effort was part of its “Brain on Wheels” awareness campaign. Senior brand manager Shariq Shah said the company would soon formalize a partnership with Alkhidmat Foundation to expand such camps to other districts. “We want to break the stigma around mental health and ensure people know that depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder are treatable diseases. If awareness spreads, more patients will seek timely care instead of suffering in silence,” he said.
Participants at the camp welcomed the effort, describing it as a lifeline for families living without access to psychiatric care. Many called on the government to replicate such services on a wider scale. “This is a ray of hope, but Nawabshah is not alone — every city needs similar camps because depression and mental illness are everywhere,” one attendee said.
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