A team of psychiatrists and psychologists revealed this, while talking to Business Recorder after their visit to quake hit areas in Balakot and Muzaffarabad. Led by leading psychiatrist, Professor Dr Haroon Rashid Chaudhry, Head Department of Psychiatry Fatima Jinnah Medical College (FJMC), the team conducted assessment of quake hit areas.
They maintained that a large number of quake stricken adolescents are facing mental disorders and they may face severe depression, which may result into suicide, if steps are not taken on war footings, for their rehabilitation. They were of the unanimous view that a large number of children and adolescents have either orphaned or separated from their parents after the devastating earthquake.
They urged the government to launch immediate programme for the rehabilitation of quake stricken children particularly those who have been orphaned or separated from their parents.
It may be mentioned that according to rough estimates, over 40,000 children and adolescent have either been orphaned or separated from their parents by the devastating earthquake.
Professor Dr Haroon Rashid told this scribe that children were in a state of shock after losing their parents and dear ones, and many were those who had lost their limbs. He also expressed grave concern over lacking counselling and psychiatric services in the quake hit areas.
During a visit to quake hit Balakot area, it has been observed that around 90 percent houses in 15 villages on the outskirts of Balakot have been collapsed as a result of devastating earthquake. Out of the population of over 50,000 in these villages, over 28,000 has lost their lives. Razed houses, scattered graves, cracked roads, tearful eyes and begging hands were seen at Balakot and other adjoining areas.
Noor-ur-Rehman (62), a resident of Balakot told this scribe that he has lost 8 members of his family out of total 11. He said that his house razed to ground after the devastating earthquake and added that the earthquake had left a record number of children physically handicapped and children, adolescent and women were badly hit by the earthquake.
When asked whether he intends to shift along with remaining three members of his family to a safer place, he said that he has lost everything but he cannot quit his area.
Moreover, during a visit to quake hit areas, it was noticed that several wrong surgical procedures were carried out in the affected areas mainly on account of lacking proper planning and resources.
Victims in the quake-hit areas also praised the army Jawans, representatives of different NGOs and volunteers who rushed to the affected areas and provided relief to them in the hour of distress.
The UAE Field Hospital at Balakot was proving, as role model for others as all the modern facilities was available in this centre.