Pakistani Psychiatrist Dr Ayesha Mian Elected President of Global Child Mental Health Association
- Dr Ayesha Mian has been elected president of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP).
- She is the first Pakistani and the first South Asian to lead the 90-year-old global organization.
- Dr Mian says the appointment is both a great honour and a major responsibility.
- She hopes the role will help strengthen child and youth mental health policies and awareness in Pakistan.
Pakistani child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Ayesha Mian has been elected president of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP), becoming the first Pakistani and the first South Asian to head the organization since its establishment in 1937. She will serve as the association’s president until 2030.
Speaking in a television interview after her appointment, Dr Mian described the achievement as a great honour as well as a significant responsibility. She said the appointment not only recognizes her work but also places Pakistan, South Asia and the Muslim world on the global map in the field of child and youth mental health.
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Dr Mian explained that IACAPAP is the world’s leading organization for child and adolescent mental health. She said one of its main objectives is to promote awareness, support research, strengthen professional training and help member countries develop better mental health policies for children and young people. The association also offers online training programmes and educational resources, many of which are available free of charge.
Highlighting Pakistan’s challenges, Dr Mian said the country continues to face a shortage of trained child psychiatrists and mental health professionals. She expressed hope that her new international role would help build stronger partnerships with policymakers, educational institutions and healthcare organizations to improve services for children and adolescents.
She also stressed the importance of early identification of mental health issues, noting that many psychiatric conditions begin during adolescence. According to her, parents and teachers should pay close attention to noticeable behavioural changes, declining academic performance, social withdrawal, irritability or sudden personality shifts instead of dismissing them as normal teenage behaviour.
Dr Mian urged families not to fear seeking professional help, saying mental illnesses should be treated like any other medical condition. She emphasized that reducing stigma and improving awareness are essential steps toward ensuring children and young people receive timely care and support.
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