Facilities include information, advocacy, assessment, early
intervention therapies, behaviour support & individual support packages
LAHORE: Child & Family Psychiatry unit at King Edward Medical University/ Mayo Hospital in collaboration with Pakistani American Psychiatric Association of North America (PAPANA) has established “Autism & Related Neuro Developmental Disorders Therapy Centre” at Mayo Hospital Lahore. Facilities being provided include provision of information and advocacy, assessment, early intervention therapies, help and liaison at school, behaviour support, individual support packages etc. In a country like Pakistan, where reasonable education remains a dream even for the average person, affording rehabilitation services for a child with neurodevelopmental disorder remains a big challenge.
Prof. Mahmood Ayaz VC KEMU alongwith Prof. Afzal Javed and Dr. Muhammad Zeeshan President PAPANA formally inaugurating the Autism and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders Therapy Center at Mayo Hospital. Also seen in the picture are Prof. Aftab Asif, Prof. Nazish Imran and Prof. Haroon Hamid.
The Centre was formally inaugurated by Prof. Mehmood Ayaz, Vice Chancellor, King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Others who graced the occasions with their presence included Prof. Afzal Javed, Immediate Past President World Psychiatric Association, Dr. Muhammad Zeshan, President, Pakistan American Psychiatric Association of North America (PAPANA), Dr. Naeem Zafar, (President, Pakistan Paediatric Association Punjab) and Ms. Irum Rizwan, (C-ARTS, Karachi, Sindh), Prof Haroon Hamid, CEO Mayo Hospital and Prof Iftikhar Ijaz, Professor of Paediatrics.
Prof. Mahmood Ayaz VC KEMU presenting a Memento to Dr. Zeeshan President PAPANA after inaugurating the Autism and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders Therapy Center at Mayo Hospital Lahore.
Given the huge number of children with Neurodevelopmental disorders, presenting to Mayo hospital from all over Punjab, there was an urgent need for a range of services and therapeutic treatments to be made available, free of cost in a child friendly environment.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Mahmood Ayaz, appreciated the department’s efforts in providing best quality, evidence based, family friendly services at no cost to the vulnerable population visiting the department in Mayo hospital, He also acknowledged all those who supported in developing services for children with Autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Under the leadership of Prof Ali Madeeh Hashmi & Prof Dr Nazish Imran, Psychiatry Department, he stated, was making every effort to make department a place, where atmosphere is conducive to the assessment and management of vulnerable children, adults and families visiting Mayo hospital for psychiatric issues.
Group Photograph taken after the formal inauguration of Autism and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders Therapy Center at Mayo Hospital Lahore shows Prof. Mahmood Ayaz VC KEMU, Prof. Afzal Javed, Dr. Muhammad Zeeshan,
Prof. Haroon Hamid, Prof. Nazish Imran and other distinguished guests
and unit staff present on the occasion.
It must be mentioned here that Child & Family Psychiatry Unit at King Edward Medical University/ Mayo Hospital has the unique distinction of being the oldest Child Psychiatry department in Pakistan which was established by Prof. Khalida Ijaz Tareen. At present it is also the only department in the country with a dedicated inpatient unit for children and adolescents with mental health problems needing admission. Over a period, this unit has developed into a full professional academic department. In 2022, department became the first unit to start accredited training in the child Psychiatry subspeciality in Pakistan. Very few public sector hospitals in country have therapy centers for Autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders and it is hoped that center in Mayo and the team will put every effort into providing quality services and help patients alongside excellent training and learning opportunities and academic presence in the institution.
An inside view of the recently established Autism and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders Therapy Center at Mayo Hospital Lahore.
Earlier Prof. Nazish Imran, Chairperson/Head of Department of Child & Family Psychiatry in her welcome address said that due to limited resources, we reached out to organizations and individuals to help support us in this cause. She extended her special thanks to PAPANA leadership, Prof Muhammad Zeshan & Dr Sadiq Naveed, Prof Muhammad Waqar Azeem (Sidra Medicine Qatar), Dr Aslam (KEMCAANA) and some other individuals in Pakistan for their help in making it a reality. Ms Irum Rizwan Assistant Professor. S IPM&R Chief Autism Consultant- C-ARTS (Centre for Autism Rehabilitation and Training, Sindh) Karachi helped in developing the center and Mr. Todd Shea from CDRS also helped a lot in overcoming hassles we encountered along the way, she remarked.
