Workshop on mental health in emergencies – Belize, Central America, July 2008

During the last week of July the mental health program of CPC, in collaboration with the PRW Belizeand PED CPC, organized a workshop on mental health in emergencies. The workshop was attended by the mental health staff, doctors and public health officers, representatives from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Human Development, NEMO, UNICEF, Red Cross, University of Belize.

The aim of the workshop was the elaboration of a Mental Health Plan for Emergencies. A draft plan was prepared by the working group and is now being finalized by the Commission established that will monitor as well the implementation of the Plan was finally approved.

During the workshops, Ms Monica Zaccarelli (PED CPC) introduced main disaster management concepts; Ms Dévora Kestel (Mental Health CPC) introduced mental health perspective in emergencies, emphasizing the concepts around 'normal reactions to abnormal situations'; national authorities introduced the national plan for emergencies, the health component of that plan, and Dr Cayetano (MOH) presented a draft for the mental health component drafted by the mental health staff of the MOH in collaboration with the Interns from the Denver University.