Editorial
Mental health and psychosocial support: a priority in emergencies and disasters
Health emergencies, disasters, and factors associated with migration cause suffering in the affected populations. The psychological and social impact of emergencies can be severe in the short term but can also have long-term effects on people that, in addition, can put peace, human rights, and development in jeopardy.
In this edition
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the population
The mental health of health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
How do we provide care without neglecting ourselves? Psychosocial interventions for prehospital care teams
Psychological first aid, key to coping with Tropical Storm ETA and Hurricane IOTA in Honduras
Coordination in mental health: a priority in emergencies
PAHO participation in the VII Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (PR21)
Strengthening the mental health response and psychosocial support in the COVID-19 pandemic
Launch of the “Mental Health Now - Share Your Story” campaign
Stronger Together Campaign 2020
Mental health literacy is the way forward, say Jamaican educators
The mental health response to COVID-19 Case of the British Virgin Islands
Caribbean countries receive training to improve coordination in mental health during emergencies
Alcohol, tobacco, and other substances in the COVID-19 pandemic
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of the population
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the population of the Region of the Americas to grapple with the loss of loved ones and an unprecedented economic crisis that has often led to the loss of jobs and/or livelihoods.
Health workers’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
Health workers have played a critical role in controlling and managing the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting health emergency. Unfortunately, this has been associated with high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and other adverse effects.
How do we provide care without neglecting ourselves?
Psychosocial interventions for prehospital care teams diseñados en el contexto de la emergencia sanitaria declarada por la pandemia COVID-19.
Coordination in mental health, a priority in emergencies
In emergency situations, one of the priorities is to protect and improve people’s mental health and psychosocial well being. Achieving this requires coordinated action by those providing humanitarian assistance, including government entities, nongovernmental organizations, and civil society groups involved in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).
The mental health response to COVID-19: Case of the British Virgin Islands
The impact of the 2017 hurricanes on the British Virgin Islands highlighted the need to improve mental health and psychosocial support in disaster management among health and community workers, as well as the general population.
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Caribbean countries receive training to improve coordination in mental health during emergencies
The purpose of mental health promotion and psychosocial support is to protect or promote well-being and prevent or treat mental health problems and should be considered a cross-cutting theme in the pillars and sectors involved in the response to public health emergencies.
Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality! is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2021
Strengthening the mental health response and psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic
Through the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), the countries of the Region, with the support of PAHO/WHO, have trained non-specialist health workers to identify, manage, and refer people with mental health conditions.
Professionals from Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela participated in the last mhGAP course. The mhGAP program also emphasizes aspects such as the creation of a team in charge of implementing the program, monitoring and evaluation, monitoring of implementation indicators, access to medicines, and clinical and administrative supervision.
Alcohol, tobacco, and other substances in the COVID-19 pandemic
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has continued to cause significant and unprecedented changes in the world since it was first reported in China in December 2019 (PAHO/WHO, 2020). The extent of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to raise public health concerns regarding its impact on the physical and mental health of individuals and entire societies due to socioeconomic effects, fear of contracting the virus, and the stressful challenges of adapting everyday activities (UN, 2020).
PAHO participation in the VII Regional Platform or Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the Caribbean (PR21)
In the past 20 years, one out of four disasters worldwide have occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, resulting in 289,055 deaths and estimated losses of more than US$1.2 trillion to more than 276 million people.
The Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction are essential for determining whether the implementation of disaster risk reduction strategies is aligned with the Sendai Framework. In these encounters, the progress in identifying gaps and priorities is also reviewed and recommendations are issued for the development of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will next be held in May 2022.
PAHO will participate in the following sessions of the VII Platform, whose theme in 2021 is: Building Resilient Economies in the Americas and the Caribbean.
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Americas & Caribbean: the resilience-building challenge for the next decades, UNDRR/CDEMA/EPAL/OPS/CEPREDENAC. Monday, 1 November.
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Social protection and inclusion to strengthen community resilience, IFRC/ GNDR/PAHO/ECLAC. Wednesday, 3 November.
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Enhancing resilient infrastructure, PAHO/UNOPS - WB/UNDRR. Monday, 1 November.
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Local governments, environmental management, and disaster risk reduction: addressing multiple hazards and supporting the most at risk, Government of Jamaica/CDEMA/Colombia/PAHO/UN Environment. Wednesday, 3 November.
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- A regional approach to coordination on multi-hazards: 2020 lessons from the Caribbean, CDEMA/UWI/Government of Jamaica/PAHO/UNDP/ECLAC. Tuesday, 2 November.
- Early warning systems: Improving the integration of hydrometric services and of national and regional DRR offices to develop effective multi-hazard early warning systems, CREWS/CDEMA/Cuba - WMO - PAHO ‒ UNDP. Wednesday 3 November.
- Developing Resilient Cities: the urban challenge MCR2030/PAHO. Monday, 1 November
Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas is the Newsletter
of the Health Emergencies Department of the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.
The reported events, activities and programs do not imply endorsement by PAHO/WHO, nor do the statements made necessarily represent the policy of the Organization. The publication of this Newsletter has been made possible through the financial support of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the U.S. Agency for International Development (OFDA/AID).
Correspondence and requests for information should be directed to:
Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas Pan American Health Organization
525 Twenty-third Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037, U.S.A.
202-974-3527 • Fax: 202-775-4578
disaster-newsletter@paho.org
www.paho.org/emergencies
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