The community members trained as Hamdard Force in Baltistan have been identifying people suffering from significant mental disorders for years. Despite ongoing connectivity challenges, our clinical psychologists continue to provide remote assessments, sometimes through the Hamdard Force when direct contact isn’t always possible. From there, our teams collaborate to develop practical strategies that help connect service users with the right support and services they need.

The Mental Health Strategic Planning and Coordination Unit has identified research gaps in mental health as a key thematic area that needs attention. To address this, the Ministry has established a Technical Working Group as a dedicated advisory body. The TWG will provide expert guidance on strengthening the national mental health research ecosystem by defining key strategies for the next five years.

The pilot implementation of Hamdard Force in Baltistan represents a significant milestone in expanding mental health services to remote and underserved communities. This initiative focuses on training community mental health workers to provide basic psychosocial support, identify individuals with mental health needs, and facilitate referrals to appropriate services.