New psychological first aid guide to strengthen humanitarian relief

Friday, August 19, 2011

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, the World Health Organization (WHO), the War Trauma Foundation (WTF) and World Vision International (WVI) will release a new tool for aid workers called the Psychological First Aid Guide for Fieldworkers. 

Humanitarian emergencies arising from natural disasters, war or famine, not only affect people’s physical health but also their psychological and social health and well-being. 

“In the last five years the psychological damage left in the wake of tsunamis, earthquakes, droughts and conflicts has proven as devastating as the physical damage,” said Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General for Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration. 

“Recognizing that we can do more and do better for the mental health of disaster affected populations, WHO and partners have developed this guide to ensure that standards and best practices are consistently applied in humanitarian settings.” 

Psychological First Aid covers both social and psychological support and involves the provision of humane, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings who are suffering from serious crisis events. 

The guide – which can be taught to humanitarian workers within one day - was developed to have widely agreed upon psychological first aid materials for use in low and middle income countries. It reflects the emerging science and international consensus on how to provide basic support to people in the immediate aftermath of extremely stressful events. 

Endorsed by 24 large international agencies, this tool gives simple, practical guidance for supporting people. The guide will enable humanitarian and emergency workers from all over the world to provide basic but very important psychosocial support to people in acute distress.

"Knowing how to support someone who has just experienced a crisis event - to listen, to comfort and to help them regain control of their situation in practical ways - is key in crisis situations," said Dr Leslie Snider, Senior Program Advisor at the War Trauma Foundation in the Netherlands. 

“This guide will help humanitarian aid workers and others to offer support in ways that respect the culture, dignity, abilities and rights of survivors - wherever they are in the world.” 

The guide orients humanitarian workers on how to give basic psychological support, i.e. to listen without pressing the person to talk; to assess their needs and concerns; to help ensure that their basic physical needs are met; and to provide or mobilize social support, and to protect them from further harm. It emphasizes support and protection for people who may need special attention in crises, including separated children and adolescents, people with disabilities, and people at risk of discrimination or violence. 

World Vision Australia’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Advisor Alison Schafer said when the psychological first aid guide was piloted as part of World Vision’s Haiti Earthquake response last year, it empowered local staff to assist their own people. “It led to changes in the ways Haitian staff provided basic psychosocial support for those directly affected in the emergency,” she said. 

“The Psychological First Aid guide will also be important in the current Horn of Africa emergency response. People now suffering in the Horn of Africa will need humane and supportive assistance during this time. Especially for those who have fled conflict in Somalia, they will need people to listen to their needs and help link them to supports in their new environment.” 


ENDS 



The following people are available for interviews: 

World Health Organization, Dr M. Taghi Yasamy. Tel: +41 22 791 2222, E-mail: yasamym@who.int 

War Trauma Foundation, Dr Leslie Snider. Tel: +31-20-6438538, E-mail: l.snider@wartrauma.nl 

World Vision International, Ms Alison Schafer, Tel. +61 409 855 952, E-mail: alison.schafer@worldvision.com.au 

Media Releases, Poverty, Asia and the Pacific, Humanitarian, NGO, Psychological Aid, WHO, World Humanitarian Day

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