GIKI launches service for students mental health

SWABI: A UNDP-sponsored Wellness Centre to offer online counselling services for mental health and wellbeing of the students was inaugurated at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Wednesday.

GIK Institute is the first private sector university that has established the centre.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, marred by frequent closure of educational institutions and starting of online classes, the students faced difficulties, anxiety and in some cases even depression around the world.

The governments and educational institutions started introducing measures to carry research on impact, frequency and severity of psychological and other mental health issues of the students.

Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Aminullah Khan, Acting Rector of the Institute stated that the Centre is an important initiative of UNDP and Higher Education Commission (HEC) being undertaken in universities and other educational institutions.

Higher level of anxiety and stress of the students caused by COVID-19 certainly needed the measures for solving the mental health problems created due to academic disruption, restricted social contact, loss of routine and other education-related mental distress.

Under the programme, a software application will be used for rendering online counselling as well as treatment services to the students.

On this occasion, Dr Sara, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sehat Kahani explained the structure and other features of the programme and the benefits likely to be derived out of proposed services as well as the capacity to offer guidance to more than 5000 students at a time.

The Centre has been established at the new Academic Block of GIK Institute under the Student Affairs Department.

Ms Laura Sheridan, Programme manager of this project in Pakistan, highlighted the importance of such projects and their usefulness for the youth.

The Acting Rector thanked the UNDP for selecting the GIK for the project. He assured the provision of required facilities to the students and support Sehat Kahani Wellness Centre team to continue their activities and take result-oriented steps for the students.

Dean Students Affairs and Students Wellness Counselor of the Institute were also present on the occasion and expressed their commitment to achieve the desired objectives of the programme for the students of GIK Institute. Earlier, the agreement between the GIK Institute and Sehat Kahani was signed.