A special cell will be established at the Ministry of Health to co-ordinate activities of the National Task Force and the Programme. The Task Force will be headed by Riaz Fityana, MNA and a consultant psychologist.
The decisions were taken by the Prime Minister after a meeting with senior psychologists led by Fityana. The meeting was convened to discuss the step required to be taken for the rehabilitation of traumatised persons in the quake-affected areas.
Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister said that first phase of relief and rescue operation was on an advanced stage. Food, medicines and shelters had been provided to a large number of people, serious patients had been brought to the hospitals.
He said the government was aware that in the earthquake-affected areas psychological problems, severe mental disorders and other related diseases are spreading among the affected people, which can have long lasting impacts on their lives in the coming years.
"We need professional psychological treatment for the rehabilitation of traumatised persons, which is a neglected area in Pakistan", said the Prime Minister.
The delegation submitted an initial programme consisting of long-term and short-term measures. There will be three hubs of the activities of National Task Force: at Islamabad, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad.
It has been decided that the Task Force will organise two-day workshops of master trainers in Islamabad, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad immediately after Eid. These master trainers will be the youths, paramedical staff, NGOs workers particularly teachers in primary schools. They will go to the earthquake-affected areas for trauma counselling.