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ISLAMABAD, Apr 12 (APP):The Health Services Academy (HSA) on Saturday conducted various training sessions in different cities on early childhood development and infant mental health.
These sessions were held as part of Pakistan’s First Infant Mental Health Conference: Baby Matters, being organized by Healing Triad Pakistan, the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) and HSA.
This event has provided a platform to healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, and policymakers to discuss the critical importance of infant mental health.
The conference featured the Honeybee Model, a strategic approach to training and knowledge dissemination.
Experts initially gathered at the Health Services Academy (HSA) and then deployed to various regions across Pakistan.
After conducting their workshops and interfacing with the local regions, these professionals are now returning to the center to share their experiences and insights tomorrow.
This reconvening marks a key moment for reflection, learning, and continued collaboration.
These workshops were held in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Karachi, focusing on early childhood development, caregiver support, and intervention strategies, equipping attendees with the latest research and practical tools to foster healthy emotional and cognitive growth in infants.
Karachi hosted two compelling workshops at Ziauddin University Hospital, led by global experts Dr Jessica Gordon and Dr Yolanda Fountain Hardy. These sessions focused on early childhood, mental health detection and the transformative power of play therapy.
In Lahore, attendees at Punjab University and Mayo Hospital explored brain development and community-rooted interventions.
Facilitators Dani Stamm Thomas and Dr Nicki Dawson provided actionable strategies tailored to Pakistan’s unique context.
Peshawar welcomed participants to a full-day session at Khyber Medical College led by Dr Joanna Herrera and Dr Angel Belle Dy, where healthcare professionals gained practical tools to foster early childhood well-being.
In Islamabad, two impactful workshops emphasized the healing potential of caregiving rituals and trauma-informed care.
Dr Marva Lewis and Dr Chandra Ghosh Ippen inspired audiences with culturally grounded, relationship-based approaches.
Rawalpindi featured a vital workshop on grief-sensitive healthcare at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, delivered by Dr Celeste Poe and Prof Asad Nizami, offering clinicians powerful tools for compassionate care.
The online session brought global perspective through Ms Rochelle Matacz, who presented Australia’s pioneering “Pregnancy to Parenthood (P2P)” model—sparking dialogue on scalable solutions for perinatal and infant mental health.
The conference is made possible through the collaboration of the institutions including Health Services Academy, The Healing Triad Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL), Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Institute of Psychology, Pahchaan, Iqra University, Karachi, Omer-E-Rawan, National Disaster Management Association and King Edward Medical University.
The conference’s aim was to raise awareness, promote collaboration, and advocate for policy changes to integrate infant mental health into Pakistan’s healthcare system.