KARACHI: When the authorities in Pakistan had decided to impose lockdown in order to contain the mysterious malady of COVID-19, they overlooked/failed to gauge the gravity of the situation. Whereas, in the West state provided the populace living indoors, enabling them to survive.
At least one case surfaced in Pakistan when a man committed suicide after seeing his starving children breaking fast with water. Millions of sufaid posh like him will never attempt to collect money via Benazir Income Support aka Ehsaas Program. Neither will they go to fetch the so-called Ration being/or NOT being distributed in front of TV Cameras. COVID-19 is also hitting sufaid posh workers/daily wagers, suffering from starvation, with mental stress. 
Secretary-General António Guterres in a three-way video call with frontline mental health workers, Umair Bachlani in Pakistan and Charlene Sunkel in South Africa. (UN Photo)
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At the global scale Secretary General of United Nations António Guterres has noted:“The COVID-19 pandemic is now hitting families and communities with additional mental stress. Those most at risk are frontline healthcare workers, older people, adolescents and young people, those with pre-existing mental health conditions and those caught up in conflict and crisis. We must help them and stand by them.
“As we recover from the pandemic, we must shift more mental health services to the community, and make sure mental health is included in universal health coverage. The United Nations is strongly committed to creating a world in which everyone, everywhere, has someone to turn to for psychological support.”
In his Wednesday 13th day of May, 2020 piece, António Guterres maintained that mental health was at the core of our humanity: “It enables us to lead rich and fulfilling lives and to participate in our communities.
But the COVID-19 virus is not only attacking our physical health; it is also increasing psychological suffering.
Grief at the loss of loved ones…
Shock at the loss of jobs…
Isolation and restrictions on movement…
Difficult family dynamics…
Uncertainty and fear for the future…
Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, are some of the greatest causes of misery in our world.
Throughout my life, and in my own family, I have been close to doctors and psychiatrists treating these conditions. As prime minister of my country, Portugal, and as High Commissioner for Refugees, I became acutely aware of the suffering they cause. This suffering is often exacerbated by stigma and discrimination, which is absolutely unacceptable.
After decades of neglect and under-investment in mental health services, the COVID-19 pandemic is now hitting families and communities with additional mental stress.
Those most at risk are frontline healthcare workers, older people, adolescents and young people, those with pre-existing mental health conditions and those caught up in conflict and crisis.
We must help them and stand by them.
I urge governments, civil society, health authorities and others to come together urgently to address the mental health dimension of this pandemic.
Even when the pandemic is brought under control, grief, anxiety and depression will continue to affect people and communities.
This is the background to the policy brief on COVID-19 and mental health that we are launching today.
Mental health services are an essential part of all government responses to COVID-19. They must be expanded and fully funded.
Policies must support and care for those affected by mental health conditions, and protect their human rights and dignity. Lock-downs and quarantines must not discriminate against those with poor mental health.
As we recover from the pandemic, we must shift more mental health services to the community, and make sure mental health is included in universal health coverage.
The United Nations is strongly committed to creating a world in which everyone, everywhere, has someone to turn to for psychological support.
I urge governments, civil society, health authorities and others to come together urgently to address the mental health dimension of this pandemic.
And I call on governments in particular to announce ambitious commitments on mental health at the upcoming World Health Assembly.”
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