The commemoration of AKU's 40th anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the unwavering commitment and tireless efforts of the employees and stakeholders who have played a pivotal role in the growth of the University. This milestone holds immense significance for us at the Brain & Mind Institute and reaffirms our unwavering dedication to the promotion and advocacy for brain health across communities in East Africa and South & Central Asia. This trajectory remains as vibrant and relevant today as it was at BMI’s inception. Thus, to the BMI, “Onwards” also means Onwards with the brain and mental health advancement in the Global south communities.
New beginnings
At the start of the year, we were excited to be settling into our new space in Nairobi, Kenya and the development of the eagerly awaited Brain Health Laboratories in Kenya. These labs will be critical for advancing our understanding of the brain and nervous system, which will lead to significant improvements in our ability to detect, diagnose, treat, and prevent neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Hub in Pakistan
As part of the One AKU model, BMI is developing networks across multiple nations and campuses. The BMI Hub in Karachi is cantered at the University Centre 13th floor, to serve South and Central Asia. The excitement is palpable with prominent faculty and many implementation projects currently underway. The new team, comprising of an Administrative Associate, Senior Manager-Operations, Partnerships and Projects, Implementation Scientists, and Research Fellows, in collaboration with the Aga Khan Health Services - Pakistan, is putting our Integrated Mental Health Framework into action in Pakistan.
Education Programs – The development of a self-harm curriculum
Self-harm and suicide are major public health concerns with distressing data. Regrettably, mental ill health and related suicidal behaviours often are overlooked, as are opportunities to intervene and provide necessary care for individuals who self-harm.
In this front, we have collaborated with the Aga Khan University Hospital to 1) implement a tool to screen for depression and suicidal ideation (PHQ-9) into the new electronic medical record system , and 2) to develop a micro-certificate course for medical professionals on Self-Harm Assessment and Care.
Our aim is to equip medical practitioners with the skills to recognise self-harm presentations, as well as provide appropriate care to self-harm patients. We want to assist medical professionals to understand the diverse manifestations of self-harm, why people self-harm, and how prevalent it.
The mental health ambassadorship course
In 2022, BMI launched a pilot mental health ambassadorship micro-certificate course concurrently in Kenya and Pakistan, with the purpose of boosting awareness and recognition of common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety disorders, preparing them to respond with empathy and compassion, and reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. We would like to multiply the number of mental health ambassadors to normalize conversations about mental illness and to provoke non-judgemental support and help seeking. There is a mounting demand across all our campuses and various stakeholder communities. We are preparing to rollout devised strategies to expand access to similar courses accessible to the general population and targeted sectors. The learnings of this course were also disseminated at the World Psychiatric Association Congress Karachi, Pakistan (see published paper titled "Development, Delivery and Evaluation of Micro-certificate Mental Health Ambassadorship Course").
Brain Health International Conference
We are excitedly preparing to host our inaugural International Conference titled ‘Healing the Brain: Bridging the gap in low-and middle-income (LMICs) countries. This will be held from November 15 to 17, 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. We intend to bring together prominent experts and stakeholders in neuroscience and mental health from around the world to explore innovative solutions and strategies for promoting brain health in LMICs, while fostering partnerships that will promote best practises and the integration of brain health into overall health systems. This conference is part of AKU's 40th anniversary celebrations.
Overall, Brain Health is a rapidly growing field with a significant impact on individuals, communities, and societies. Indeed, brain ill health carries the largest burden of illness – surpassing that of all cancers and cardiovascular disease! At the BMI we are committed to raising awareness of the current state of brain health in LMICs and advancing our efforts to develop effective solutions to address the challenges in providing adequate care and support. With this in mind, we keep moving ‘onwards’ in making a meaningful difference for those often suffering in silence.
