title: Implementation of the Mental Health Act; are we ready?
abstract: After the 18th amendment in the constitution health becomes a provincial subject in Pakistan. Sindh Provincial Assembly took the lead and passed the Mental Health Act on 19th September 2013. On 10 April 2015, Sindh assembly passed an amendment that a person who attempts to kill himself or be accused of blasphemy should be examined by a psychiatrist and given treatment if found suffering from a mental illness. It is clear that the act is aimed to help in improving the delivery of mental health care and to protect the rights of mentally ill individuals. Will it meet its intended aims? We have discussed the challenges that lie ahead with special reference to Pakistan. Until we understand these challenges, we will not be able to propose the possible solutions to reach the intended goal of this Act and could avoid the failure of implementation of a similar law "the Mental Health Ordinance 2001".
authors.affiliation: Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Mohammad Naim
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Siddiqi
authors.affiliation: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi.
authors.forename: Syed Haroon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010154:Pakistan
keywords: Mental Health Act, Mental illness, Pakistan.