The PM+ is a WHO initiative designed to provide meaningful psychological interventions for individuals facing adversity. It was recently adopted in Guyana as part of the country's recent focus to addressing mental health needs.
The PM+ training workshop was held in Guyana from 17-21 July. It was jointly organized by the Ministry of Health, the WHO Collaborating Center at the Department of Psychiatry of Loma Linda University School of Medicine (California, USA), and the Guyana Country Office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
In the efforts to incorporate the PM+ intervention, thirty Guyanese providers including general medical officers, psychologists, social workers, spiritual leaders, and health education workers from the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Public Health were chosen to participate. The training was led by Drs. Carolina Osorio and Rayek Nafiz, from the Loma Linda University; Mrs. Karen Roberts, Mental Health Focal Point in Guyana; and Dr. Claudina Cayetano, PAHO/WHO Regional Advisor on Mental Health. Coordination was provided by Dr. Carlos Fayard, Director of the Collaborating Center.
The PM+ was created in response to the need for simple yet robust interventions to help people dealing with a range of adversity, whether it is displacement as result of war or the more common domestic violence and toll of poverty. The course focused on the core components of PM+: applying basic therapy skills while engaging individuals to help them manage stress, utilize problem-solving and behavioral activation strategies, and strengthen their social support.
