1. World Health Organization
15 May 2018
Mental health and psychosocial support during and after major humanitarian emergencies

2. WHO definition of Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. No Health without Mental Health

3. Key global policies and resources
World Health Organization
Key global policies and resources
April 22, 2009
Sphere (2011), IASC (2007, 2010)

4. World Health Organization
Impact of Disasters on Prevalence of Mental Disorders: (expected medians across countries & level of adversity exposure)‏
April 22, 2009
This slide is about patterns, not about absolute numbers
Source: van Ommeren et al. BMJ; 330:1160-1; 2005,

5. ACTION BY THE HEALTH SYSTEM

6. Sphere Handbook mental health standard: 7 key actions
Ensure interventions are developed on the basis of identified needs and resources.
Enable community members including marginalized people to strengthen community self-help and social support
Ensure that community workers, including volunteers, as well as staff at health services offer psychological first aid to people in acute distress after exposure to extreme stressors

7. Sphere Handbook mental health standard: 7 key actions
Ensure that there is at least one staff member at every health facility who manages diverse, severe mental health problems in adults and children.
Address the safety, basic needs and rights of people with mental health problems in institutions
Minimize harm related to alcohol and drugs
As part of early recovery, initiate plans to develop a sustainable community mental health system.

8. Emergencies assessment/situational analysis toolkit
WHO & UNHCR
published in 2012
Contains 12 assessment tools
Assessors should only use few tools at a time based on
Pre-existing information
Agency capacity to implement
Assessment goals

9. World Health Organization
The 1st of 12 tools covers assessment of who does what where until when
April 22, 2009
It contains codes and sub- codes of 11 type of interventions that agencies do across sectors
It helps with coordination, referral
It demystifies by creating a common language
By IASC Reference Group (2012)

10. World Health Organization
Sphere key action 3: psychological first aid by community workers and staff at health services
World Health Organization
15 May 2018
How to support people who have recently been exposed to trauma? Do not use psychological debriefing
Use the new psychological first aid guide
For community/field workers but also for doctors and nurses
Does not necessarily focus on events
Not clinical
Key elements
Protecting from harm
Listening
Assessing basic needs
Organizing company

11. Sphere key action 5: managing severe mental health problems in general health services
General health services : hospital, emergency mobile clinic, PHC, injury ward
At least 1 person per facility should be able to manage severe mental health problems (eg psychosis, depression) and epilepsy
Essential psychotropic medicines in interagency emergency health kit are:
Amitryptiline
Phenobarbital (tablet) (controlled)
Diazepam (tablet) (controlled)
Haloperidol (tablet, inject) (+ for side-effects, biperiden)

12. World Health Organization
Sphere key action 7: Use emergencies as an opportunity for mental health system reform
World Health Organization
15 May, 2018
Afghanistan
Burundi
Indonesia (Aceh Province)
Iraq
Jordan
Kosovo
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Timor-Leste
West Bank and Gaza Strip
All of these cases were initiated between 2000 and 2010 and were chosen because they succeeded in making clear improvements in access to basic mental health services.
The following slides present the main findings from each of these cases.