Professor Mussarat Hussein, designated by the ministry as the chief co-ordinator for the rehabilitation of mentally and psychologically affected earthquake victims, while addressing a meeting of senior psychiatrists and psychologists here on Tuesday, said this was extremely essential constant surge in the incidence of psychological ailments in earthquake affected areas would leave severe implications in coming years if not efficiently handled at present.
The senior psychiatrist also the Head of Psychiatry Department, Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Center, Karachi, speaking at the meeting, organised by the Psychiatry Department, Hamdard University, said as first phase of the programme workshop would be organised for psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers at JPMC immediately after Eid.
A three-day training programme is being formulated in accordance to WHO recommendations and also in view of the specific problems of the area people, said Professor Hussain.
Psychiatrists and psychologists present on the occasion offered their voluntary services to the government. They also underscored that all psychiatric relief and support programmes undertaken in the areas must be on scientific basis enabling absolute majority of affectees to benefit and be helped to emerge psychologically stable and resumed normal life.
All intending psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers were advised to get themselves registered for the training programme at the JPMC Psychiatry department.
Professor Mussarat Hussain warned that in the coming months as well as in years there is fear of acute shortage of psychiatrists in the Pakistani society hence measures are also required to ensure more training programmes for the professionals. He in this context referred to post-graduate training programme being offered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons-Pakistan.
Assistant Professor Majid Ali Abidi, Psychiatry Department, Hamdard Medical University appreciated the government for taking the initiative focussed on emotional rehabilitation of the affectees.
The meeting was attended by psychiatrists associated with JPMC, Dow University of Health Sciences, Lyari General Hospital, Liaquat University, Jamshoro, Sindh Government Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Hamdard University Hospital, Services Hospital, Asghar Psychiatry Hospital.
There were also psychiatrists from Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Hyderabad, Larkana, and Sukkur.