Relief Efforts after the Pakistan Earthquake

Relief Efforts after the Pakistan EarthquakeWFMH Board member Professor Haroon Rashid Chaudhry described the efforts of Pakistani NGOsafter an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale struck the Kashmir region of Pakistan,killing some 80,000 people and leaving 3.3 million homeless.Many NGOs became involved in relief efforts. Dr. Chaudhry’s ownFountain House team worked at the Abbas Hospital Relief Camp inMuzaffarabad. There they found three main groups needing help:those with relapses of pre-existing mental illness; peoplehaving acute stress reactions and panic attacks; and “silentsufferers” – people grieving after losses in their families. About 50,000 people whose homes had been destroyed were moved to major towns. Dr. Chaudhry andhis colleagues began a training program for volunteers in Lahoreto help such displaced persons, and had a good response. Henoted that relief workers found several groups among thedisplaced people arriving in Lahore had special needs. Manychildren had been killed in schools, causing alarm amongsurviving pupils about returning to class. Orphans and otheraffected children were given informal activities and games forsix months before an effort was made to get them back intoregular education. For women aged 15 to 25 years, safety was themain concern. These young women, many of whom had lost theirfamilies, were accustomed to a sheltered, traditional life inwhich their parents arranged their marriages and provideddowries. Their future life in traditional society had beendestroyed along with their communities. NGOs provided advice onhow to live independently, while providing some social worksupport and occupational therapy. For old people also accustomedto family shelter, there were many special needs and some oldpeoples’ homes are now being established.Dr. Chaudhry described various ways in which moderate levels of international support had beenvaluable to Fountain House’s efforts. WFMH had raised awarenessthat led to useful contacts. Prof. George Christodoulou arrangedfinancial support from organizations in Greece. A group inKingston-on-Thames, England, had held a charity cycle ride thatraised £30,000, which is being used to build a rehabilitationcenter at Fountain House for people from the earthquake region.It will provide free care for referrals.Dr. Chaudhry gave the following recommendations for mental health disaster reliefwork:1. It is essential to involve local people – educators, the clergy,community workers, journalists – even if there are only a few ofthem. The clergy in particular can be a great support. His groupworked closely with them, providing messages that they gave outat prayers.  2. Ongoing training for emergencies should be developed.Professionals from other countries could be very helpful inproviding input for this. The army has a full psychiatric unitthat can be made available in disaster situations, but trainingshould extend to people like educators and community workers.