People with treatment-resistant depression will soon be able to receive an alternative form of care in the shape of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at a new hospital being opened in Gadap.

The Children of Adam, an American organization, is opening a neuropsychiatric hospital in Karachi for which a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday in Gadap with the chief minister.

The 150-bed inpatient and outpatient hospital will provide mental health services to patients of all ages, adolescent psychiatry, adult and geriatric care, and drug and alcohol and substance abuse.

Shahzad Sadan said that the objective of the facility is to provide services for Bipolar disorder, Autistic disorders, MR, Pervasive developmental disorders, Schizophrenic disorders, Anxiety, Depression, Electroconvulsive Therapy, and Rehabilitation.

The NGO intends to spend Rs4 billion on the hospital. It would be a center that focuses on personalized medicine, brain stimulation, and pediatric and geriatric mental health. This center will have brain imaging dedicated to studying brain chemistry, structure, function, and behavior in mental illness. It would provide Intervention in brain stimulation treatment using magnetic seizure therapy (MST), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), providing hope for people with treatment-resistant depression.

CM Murad Ali Shah said that there was a need for psychiatric and mental health facilities in Pakistan and in particular Karachi. But the city has a lack of trained psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors to meet growing demand.

“In Pakistan, over 15 million people are suffering from some form of mental illness,” said the CM. “However, only a small percentage of people suffering from mental health conditions are able to seek the proper help they need.”

• 31 new hospitals with 701 beds
• Upgraded infrastructure in 108 existing hospitals
• 771 beds for primary healthcare
• Rs23 billion for health in budget 2022-23
• Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences Lung Cancer unit will open soon
• Gambat Institute has performed over 700 liver transplants
• Cardiovascular hospital being opened in Landhi

The Sindh Mental Health Act was introduced in 2013 and the Sindh Mental Health Authority was established in 2017. It has the mandate to deal with all matters relating to the promotion of mental health, setting standards, and prevention of disorders.

Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry Hyderabad is being upgraded as a university.

The CM performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the hospital by unveiling the plaque and planting a tree.