Psychiatry

Psychological problems are invariably interlinked with chronic physical illnesses. The prevalence of psychiatric illnesses is very high in Pakistan and for patients and their families it can be overwhelming and difficult to manage without support. SIUT caters to patients not only from all around Pakistan but also from Afghanistan who often come for treatment of complex nephrology or urological problems. A major bulk of our patients come from lower socioeconomic strata. These and other contributing factors make them more vulnerable to developing psychiatric disorders. SIUT identified the need for having a Psychiatry Unit and keeping this in view the Department of Psychiatry was established in 2004. Initially the department consisted of only one psychiatrist but it has since expanded and now consists of a team of two psychiatrists and two psychologists.

The Department provide following services:

• Pre and Post-transplant psychiatric assessment and management of recipients and donors
• Psychiatric Assessment, Counseling/ Psychotherapy and Psycho- pharmacological interventions for adult, adolescent, and paediatric patients of Dialysis, Renal diseases, Kidney and Liver Transplant.
• The departments also provide liaison services to Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Surgery and Oncology departments to the patients referred from wards or outpatient departments.
• Assessment and counselling of patients having Disorder of Sex Development (DSD).
• Family intervention as well as behavioural modification for other psychological factors that influence compliance.
• Outpatient management of patients who have a pre-existing psychiatric illness and have now registered with SIUT.
• The department also contributes towards enhancing skills of Medical Social Welfare Officers to identify and provide basic counselling to distressed patients and their families.
• Psychology students from other institutions of the city have also benefited from the unique opportunity to work alongside the psychiatrists and psychologists as interns.