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Disaster Mental Health
The tsunami of December 26, 2004 affected six countries of
the South-East Asia Region simultaneously. The number of people affected in
terms of death, injured, missing or displaced was simply overwhelming. Each
and every person in the disaster-struck areas was psychologically affected
directly or indirectly. It was recognized by the policy-makers and healthcare
providers that any neglect of psychosocial support could impair efforts in
physical rehabilitation. Although there were no precedents in this
geographical region in meeting the mental health and psychosocial needs of
such large numbers of people, affected countries, with the support of several
international agencies, launched massive mental health and psychological
relief efforts to a variable efficacy. However, there were common concerns
and responses.
Besides the immediate mental health and psychosocial
relief efforts to affected countries, plans for the mental health and
psychosocial aspects of disaster preparedness are in progress.
Technical Documents
 Message from Regional
Director [PDF 55 KB]
Mental Health & Psychosocial support after the Tsunami:
Observations across nations
Mental health and psychosocial aspects of disaster
preparedness
Psychosocial
Care of Tsunami-Affected Populations
 Manual
for Community Level Workers
Physician’s
Manual
WHO
Framework for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support after the Tsunami
Mental
Health and Psychosocial Relief Efforts after the Tsunami in South-East Asia
International Review of Psychiatry: June 2006
International Review of Psychiatry: Dec 2006
Technical Meetings
Intercountry meeting on development of guidelines for
mental health and psychosocial aspects of disaster preparedness Khao Lak, Phang
Nga Province, Thailand, 20-23 June 2006 [PDF 293
KB]
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