(L to R): Dr Murad Moosa Khan, Chair, Department of Psychiatry, AKU; Prof S. Haroon Ahmed, Karachi, Pakistan; Dr Eli Breger, MD, South Carolina, USA; Dr. Abul Faizi, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, AKU

Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi, Chairman, Board of Trustees of AKU, was the chief guest. During the Symposium eminent national and international speakers from Pakistan, India, Switzerland, USA and UK covered issues such as de-stigmatization, child mental health, drug abuse, suicide prevention, mood disorders, and religious superstitions in Muslim communities. The opening remarks were made by Dr. Murad Moosa Khan, Chair Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University followed by a welcome address by Dr. David Taylor, Acting Provost, Aga Khan University. The keynote address will be given by Dr. Benedetto Saraceno, Director, Mental Health Division, World Health Organization, Geneva gave the keynote address.

Dr. Mohammad Khurshid, Dean Medical College (centre), AKU presents Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi Chairman, AKU Board of Trustees (right) with a memento . Also seen in the photograph is Dr. Murad Moosa Khan, Chair, Department of Psychiatry, AKU.

Speakers on September 23, 2003, the second day of Aga Khan University National Symposium on Mental Health - Understanding the Challenges, covered several different themes in their presentations and lectures.

Dr. Eli Breger, Life Fellow, American Academy of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, International Relation Committee, South Carolina, USA, described the effects of armed conflicts on child mental health in the global perspective. He said that there were a number of armed conflicts raging worldwide with indiscriminate and callous attacks on families. "As a result, around one-third of the world's refugee children - at least five million - are in settings outside their countries, and 12 million homeless in their countries. With limited hope of uniting with their families, the children are forced into renegade military factions, trained in ways of combat often under the influence of drugs," he explained. Dr. Ambreen Ahmad, a psychiatrist from South Carolina, USA, highlighted the link between gender and mental health. In her paper she analyzed the effects of gender differences and gender bias on both patients and mental health providers and revealed the treatment process.

Dr. Murad Moosa Khan, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at AKU, spoke on suicide prevention, highlighting suicide rates in Pakistan and other developing countries. He said that suicide trend in Pakistan had been on the rise, and methods included hanging, shooting, burning (women) and poisonous substances. He said the leading causes of suicide in Pakistan were economic factors, mental illness and women and marriage, and the suicide rate in youngsters was on the rise. Dr. Abul Faizi, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, gave a clinical and socio-cultural perspective of drug addiction in Pakistan. He said according to conservative estimates, there were over four million drug addicts in Pakistan. Dr. Hashim Reza from Orpington Hospital, UK, speaking of religious superstitions in the context of mental health said religion impacts mental health services by shaping attitudes of the general public and that of professionals. "These attitudes have thus far varied from mutual antipathy to open hostility and various shades in between," he said. He explained how most commonly held superstitions are explainable in terms of local traditions and customs, and highlighted the need for public education with the objective of dispelling such superstitions.

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