KARACHI: The University of Karachi has established a dedicated Mental Health and Well-being Centre at its Medical Centre to address growing psychological challenges, including stress, depression and anxiety among students, faculty members and employees.
The centre will provide free and confidential psychological counselling, therapy and support services to more than 47,000 students, as well as the university’s teaching and non-teaching staff.
The centre was formally inaugurated on Monday by KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Wasim Qazi and Chairman of the Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA), Senator Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Professor Dr Wasim Qazi described mental health as a national development priority and expressed concern over the growing psychological challenges in Pakistan.
Referring to available estimates, he said approximately 37 per cent of the population across different age groups in Pakistan experienced some form of mental health difficulty, while more than 50 million people were estimated to be affected by psychological trauma, depression or anxiety-related conditions.
He emphasised that mental health was no longer a private or secondary concern, as it directly affected educational performance, economic productivity, social stability and overall national development.
The Vice Chancellor said inadequate basic facilities, increasing social pressures and excessive social media use were contributing to emotional distress, isolation and psychological problems, particularly among young people.
He added that the university would soon launch a mobile application to connect students, teachers and non-teaching employees with the newly established centre, enabling them to confidentially approach mental health professionals and discuss their concerns.
Chairman of the Sindh Mental Health Authority, Senator Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja, appreciated the university’s initiative and announced support for establishing a dedicated helpline for the university community, following the model of the facility operating at Dow University of Health Sciences.