Psychosocial Support to Tsunami victims

Report: Kollam District

Dr. Jayaprakashan. K.PSenior Lecturer in Psychiatry,Medical College, Trivandrum.

Technical Nodal Person, Kollam District

Kollam District

Karunagappalli taluk

Alappad Panchayath- The most affected area in Kerala

• Death -143• Serious injury>1000• 40,000 in camps• 14,000 prolonged

stay• Houses completely

damaged- 2500

2500 Houses Completely damaged

270

167

334

312

428

241

90

50

173

50

61

203

82

Wards Number of fully damaged houses

1 270

II 161

III 334

IV 428

V 241

VI 312

VII 90

VIII 50

IX 61

X 50

XI 173

XII 203

XIII 82

Deaths

• Only in six wards

• Maximum number of death in 3 and 4 wards (more than 2/3)

9

1

40

65

21

0

7

Temporary shelters

• Half of those who lost houses are in Govt. temporary shelters

• Other half in shelters of NGOs- relatives

Death- More females and children

• Only 25 males died

• Men : Women :children =1:2:3

• For every man’s death there was death of 2 women and 3 children

Stages of Relief work

District level committee

• District Collector - Patron

• D.M.O. - Secretary

• Members– District Social Welfare Officer – The Elected members of the Block– Panchayat and Grama Panchayat– Technical Nodal persons

Networking with other agencies

• Sahayi Trust

• World Vision

• Oxfarm

Sahayi Trust

• Psychosocial support

• Training 30 volunteers

• Referring cases

• Conducting clinics

Selection of Volunteers

• Volunteers of literacy mission

• Members of affiliated Libraries and reading rooms

• Youth Clubs

• Karayogams

• Interview on 21st May

Training of CLWs

• On 23, 24, 25 May 2005

• 51 volunteers

• Psychiatry Dpt. Tvm

CLW’s training- Kollam

Interactive lectures- audiovisual

Group activities

Training activities

Games

Group learning

Presenting topics

Posters and other materials

Activities of CLWs

• Visited 500 houses

• Around 3000 persons

• Referred cases

• Arranged group meetings

Meetings and Reporting

• Conducted 2 meetings

• Field work monitored by psychologist and PSW

• Keeping diary

• North and south- meeting for convenience

• Monthly meeting and reporting

Counselling service

Self-help groups

Consultation of referred cases

Problems identified

• PTSD Symptoms– Very common – Most does not come for formal consultation– 22 severe cases with severe symptoms

treated with SSRIs– Relaxation training, desensitisation

Tidal Waves- 21-23 MayExacerbation of symptoms

Depression

• Many had previous history suggestive of depression or anxiety disorder

• 12 cases needed treatment

Complicated grief

• 4 cases

• Under reported

• Mixture of grief depression and anxiety symptoms

Other psychiatric syndromes

• BPMD

• Alcohol dependence

• Schizophrenia

• Mental retardation with behavioural problems

• Seizure disorder

Pre-existing / aggravation / new rarely

Children's problems

• Bed wetting

• Nightmares

• PTSD

• Changing School

Training for school teachers

Training for school teachers

• Young children more affected

• More than 60 children died

• Death of friends and classmates

• Few reports of leaving for schools in other places

Reaching the unreached

• Reaching to all disaster affected

• More community education

• Self help groups

THANKS