Tsunami Children Suffering Mental Problems - Who

[The Straight Story]

Tsunami Children Suffering Mental Problems - Who


Tuesday, May 10, 2005

BANDA ACEH (Reuters) - Up to a quarter of the children caught up in the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia's Aceh have mental health problems that need professional treatment, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

Most of the tsunami-affected adult population is also suffering from trauma-related distress, a WHO-funded study by the University of Indonesia found.

The mental health problems are far beyond the capabilities of Aceh's lone mental hospital and so the government has decided Aceh will be the first Indonesian province to have community mental health services, said Dr. Stephanus Indrajaya, technical officer for WHO Indonesia.

Mental health problems tend to be more complex and longer-lasting than physical injuries, making this a key issue in Aceh's rehabilitation, he said.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_24576.html