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Long-term `psycho-social' intervention programme

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, JAN. 21. The Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Education and Research (JIPMER) and the Department of Education have embarked upon a long-term "psycho-social intervention for tsunami victims" in Pondicherry. The programme, which is sponsored by the World Health Organisation (WHO), will begin by training teachers of government schools in coastal areas.

Chandrasekar, head of the department of psychiatry, JIPMER, said National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in touch with the people in the coastal areas would also be trained.

"We need more people to get to the large population that has been affected by the tsunami", said Dr. Chandrasekar. "The WHO had suggested that long-term mental health intervention be provided to the affected people, so the JIPMER had initiated the programme," he added.

Anxiety, nightmares

"Right now, the people are slowly trying to get back to their normal lives, and they are experiencing symptoms like anxiety, depression, nightmares and are still afraid to go to the sea or think of it and also get jittery if they hear loud noises. These reactions are mild but still need to be treated. If we take steps immediately, we can contain the severity of (mental) disability and also restore community equilibrium," Dr. Chandrasekar said.

On Wednesday, 85 schoolteachers were trained on the basics of how to identify children who are affected by the disaster psychologically. The Director of Education, G. Theva Needhi Dhas, told The Hindu that the teachers in turn would provide counselling to the students and if needed, also their families.

"We will be providing training for about 400 teachers, 300 here and 100 in Karaikal. Since the teachers know their students, they will look for behavioural changes in their wards. They will see how active they are, if they exhibit withdrawn behaviour, panic reaction and inattention in class. They will also judge their performance in the current examinations and see how they fare," Mr. Dhas said.

The Education Department had sent some 50 teachers to provide immediate counselling in affected areas. Teachers who attended the training programme are highly motivated. "The first batch was very successful with its work and has been able to allay fears of many people they met. In Karaikal, fishermen are already going out to fish," Mr. Dhas added. A team of doctors from JIPMER will monitor the progress of the teachers and will treat cases they are unable to deal with.

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