ISLAMABAD: A delegation comprised of Professor Nusrat Husain, Professor of Psychiatry University of Manchester and Professor David Kingdon, Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery at the University of Southampton along with research team of Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) met Mr Riaz Fatyana, Chairperson National Assembly Standing Committee on Law & Justice and Convener, National Parliamentary Sustainable Development Goals Task Force. Prof Husain gave updates on Pakistan’s world leading research on self-harm and suicide prevention including one of the world’s largest therapist delivered trial of brief problem solving training (C-MAP) funded by Medical Research Council, Department for International Development (DFID), National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and the Welcome Trust. A capacity and capability building initiative (SASHI) funded by the GCRF and the most recent problem solving training trial for prevention of self-harm and suicide in adolescents funded by Medical Research Council, Department for International Development (DFID) and National Institute of Health Research (NIHR).
Mr Fatyana appreciated this much needed work of high public health priority and acknowledged PILL providing an excellent platform for such complex research. Mr Fatyana discussed ideas for future developments and how the parliament could support to take this work forward. Mr Fatyana thanked Prof Kingdon for supporting this research and mental health promotion in Pakistan. Prof Husain invited Mr Fatyana to the round table conference which aims to develop Pakistan first Suicide Prevention Strategy on 11th September 2019 at the Royal College of Psychiatrist in London. The draft of the strategy will be finalized at the second round table conference in Islamabad in October.