[vc_row][vc_column][heading text=”COVID-19 and its impact on mental health”][vc_column_text]
It’s been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world and thousands of people were forced into a lockdown. Due to this, several problems arose for people who were otherwise leading normal lives. This includes coping up with how to work at home, unemployment, fear of stepping out, financial crisis, loneliness, isolation etc. Moreover, the pandemic even disrupted the quality of health services world over as the demand increased. A survey of 130 countries provides the first global data showing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on access to mental health services and underscores the urgent need for increased funding.
Keeping this in mind Dr. Ziauddin University has introduced psych webinar series that will focus on the prevailing mental health issues and steps that need to be taken to help those suffering. The first episode of the series was held on 30th of January 2020 and discussed the topic ‘Impact of COVID-19 on mental health’.
The session was moderated by Prof. Dr. Rubina Hussain who was joined by international speakers Dr. Afzal Siddiqui and Dr. Pia Ghosh to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Dr. Afzal Siddiqui has done his MBBS from King’s College London and after his MRCP psych, he began working as a consultant at Camden Primary Care Mental Health Network. His field of special interest is Psycho-therapy and Psycho-analyses. Whereas, Dr. Pia Ghosh did her medical graduation from St George’s University, and after her MRCP Psych, started working at the Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service, Central and North West London. In addition to psychiatry, her interest is also in medical education.
With such intellectuals on the panel, there was no doubt the session was going to be an informative one and there is definitely a lot the general public must have learned during the hour-long discourse. The session also focused on how mental illnesses are neglected in Pakistan, as well as mental health in the workplace. The idea behind the discussion was to encourage individuals to seek mental health since such issues can be treated properly if patients are helped on time. Furthermore, in the next 2 months, the team of Dr. Ziauddin Hospital and Ziauddin University will return with yet another seminar with a very intriguing topic that aims to bring crucial issues to the forefront.
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