121-member mental health team to provide psychosocial support to survivors

A Mental Health Disaster Management team has been formed in Kerala to provide psychosocial support to survivors of the devastating landslide at Wayanad, state Health Minister Veena George said on Friday.

George said a 121-member team of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers and counsellors was formed on Tuesday, soon after the disaster struck the hilly district of Kerala.

She said only the special team members with ID cards issued by the health department will be allowed to provide mental health support to the survivors in relief camps and to those admitted in various hospitals.

The team has set up help desks at all the hospitals and relief camps.

"The mental health workers will listen to the concerns of the survivors and offer them comfort. Children, pregnant women and elderly people will be given priority," the minister said in a release.