The writer is a political and integrity risk analyst.
SOARING case numbers and fresh restrictions constantly underscore the physical toll of Covid-19. But the psychological impact of this pandemic requires urgent attention too.
A recent survey completed by the Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA) and Edhi Foundation highlighted the scale of the problem: 42 per cent of respondents spread evenly across urban and rural areas reported suffering from depression. Respondents described high levels of anxiety, and 25pc reported experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Sindh is by no means an anomaly. Last week, the WHO declared that the mental health impact of the pandemic will be “long-term and far-reaching”. Such discourse is not novel; as the world locked down, public officials and health authorities acknowledged that there would be a psychological and emotional fallout of fear of illness, disrupted work, limited social interactions, and heightened familial tensions.