This unit has been set up to help establish an institutional framework and launch a coordinated effort to mainstream mental health as a national priority as envision in the National Economic Transformational Plan.









Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) service model is a digital, rights-based and scalable solution to address the critical gaps in existing mental healthcare and scale up MHPSS services in Pakistan. It aims to strengthen the existing mental healthcare system by utilizing evidence-based resources to build the capacity of a mental health workforce outside tertiary care hospitals; supervise this workforce to provide MHPSS services; establish a referral pathway; and collect relevant data.

August 19, 2026
A legislative review of mental health legislations has been initiated by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives in 2026. Following a comprehensive review of the provincial legislations; documentation of the differences between the provincial legislations; preparation of a detailed rights-based analysis of existing laws where each provision was checked against the WHO; and a detailed consultative process; the review of the gap analysis is now planned at provincial levels.
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August 17, 2026
The International Bioethics Committee (IBC) at UNESCO has released a report "Ethical considerations for youth mental health in the digital environment". The report highlights that children and adolescents live in a digital world that offers real opportunities including access to information, social connection, civic participation.
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August 14, 2026
The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has prioritised mental health within the national development agenda, a distinction shared by only a limited number of countries around the world. The 5Es framework is a strategic roadmap towards sustainable growth and economic stability, focusing on five critical pillars. A key pillar, Equity, addresses the fundamental issues of accessibility, inclusivity, and social justice in healthcare delivery and envisions MHPSS as a key area to focus on creating equitable access to mental health services for all population segments.
Read moreComprehensive evidence-based printed and digital resources have been developed for MHPSS services in Pakistan. Through robust methodological frameworks, well-established international guidelines were contextualized, adapted and translated to achieve the objectives of MHPSS service.



Mental Health Strategic Planning & Coordination Unit Health Section Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives