NONTHABURI, 26 October 2011 – The prolonged flooding has posed mental health problems to a huge number of people which could go beyond medical officials’ ability to handle.
Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri disclosed that nearly all of the flood victims were traumatized by the floods. The Ministry’s psychological tests have shown that as many as 97,534 flood-hit people are suffering chronic tension. Of them, 4,210 are under severe stress, 5,882 are suffering from depression and 807 have a tendency to commit suicide. 1,237 people need to be under close watch. Mr. Wittaya admitted that the Ministry’s mental health officials were not enough to deal with this particular group of flood victims.
Mr. Wittaya added that the Mental Health Department had been assigned to come up with plans to revive the affected people’s mental health. To meet the people’s need for mental health care, the Ministry will also request medical schools to send their staff and students to help with its rehabilitation program.
