Project title: Expanding Access to Depression Treatment Through Local Health Systems
Country: Pakistan
Anchoring institution: Shifa Foundation
Dates running: 2026
Status: Ongoing
Project description
In the Battagram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, depression is widespread but often goes untreated, especially among women and young people. With no psychiatrists locally and limited mental health training among frontline staff, even severe cases can be missed.
Led by the Shifa Foundation in collaboration with McLean Hospital (USA), this project will train 60+ non-specialist providers (medical officers, nurses, and community health workers) to recognize, screen, manage, and refer depression using culturally adapted, Urdu-translated workshops built in-part with Neurotorium resources.
Participants will learn validated screening tools (such as the PHQ-9, BDI-II) and implement a new referral pathway connecting patients to specialist care at SF Falahi Clinic (Islamabad, Pakistan). This will be supported by ongoing supervision and digital learning to both sustain impact as well as expand capabilities.
About Neurotorium’s Clinical Education Grants
Neurotorium is offering Clinical Education Grants to support non-profit educational projects aimed at strengthening clinical competencies within the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders through educational activities aimed at healthcare professionals.
Applicants can request up to 100,000 DKK (approximately $15,000 USD) per year for a duration of one to three years. The budget can only include direct costs. Projects must incorporate Neurotorium’s educational resources, be anchored within established non-commercial organizations (such as universities, hospitals, or NGOs), and demonstrate potential to positively impact clinical practice.
