The Aga Khan University’s Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) has concluded its three-day Global Conference on Brain and Mental Health, held from November 3–5 at AKU’s Stadium Road campus in Karachi. Themed “Building Thriving Communities: Promoting Brain and Mental Health,” the conference brought together leading researchers, clinicians, policymakers and community leaders from across Pakistan and around the world to discuss urgent priorities for mental health in the Global South.
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The event featured national and international speakers and panelists, including experts from the University of Liverpool, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR–UK) and Imperial College London. Dr Zafar Mirza, Former State Minister of Health, Government of Pakistan also addressed the audience at the conference. Sessions explored digital mental health, youth and migration, climate and brain health, suicide prevention, dementia & healthy brain aging and community-based models of care. Film screenings and live performances also offered personal reflections on lived experience and resilience.
“The science of the brain and mind has advanced enormously, but its greatest promise lies in how it can help us build healthier, more resilient individuals and communities,” explained Dr Ozioma Okonkwo, Professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “This conference has been an inspiring example of that shared purpose.”
Pakistan faces a growing mental health challenge. With fewer than 500 psychiatrists for a population exceeding 240 million, the need for scalable, community-based care is critical. AKU’s Brain and Mind Institute and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) are leading efforts to close this gap through their Integrated Mental Health Framework. The framework equips teachers, peers and frontline health workers with the skills to identify early signs of distress and provide psychosocial support, bringing care closer to where people live and learn.
“We are seeing mental health move to the centre of conversations about public health and development,” said Professor Zul Merali, Founding Director of the Brain and Mind Institute. “This conference has been about connecting science to the realities people face every day and building the partnerships that will turn ideas into lasting change.”
The conference reaffirmed BMI’s commitment to advancing brain and mental health through research, education, engagement and innovation. Guided by its ethos “From Neuron to Neighbourhood,” the Institute continues to work towards a future where mental well-being is recognized as essential to human and societal progress.
“Conferences like this remind us that advancing brain and mental health requires connection across disciplines, countries and communities,” said Dr Rozina Karmaliani, Professor and Associate Director of the Brain and Mind Institute. “It is through collaboration that we can turn scientific discovery into meaningful impact for transforming the lives of the communities we serve.”
