Raj Persaud sees Cyclone Sidr aftermath

In the wake of Cyclone Sidr which struck Bangladesh on Thursday 15 November, ActionAid took Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Raj Persaud out to the stricken areas to see the devastation caused and meet some of those people worst affected.

Dr Persaud also met mental health professionals who are working on the ground with ActionAid to assess and deal with the psychological needs of those traumatised by the devastation and loss of their loved ones.

One of the most severely affected villages was Padma, on the Bay of Bengal, a 15-hour drive from Dhaka. Trees were uprooted, fishing boats and buildings destroyed and livestock washed away. Sixty villagers died there, and the bodies of another fourteen have never been found.

Children's drama therapy
In Padma Raj met a group of children who were taking part in drama to help them come to terms with the loss of family and friends. A team of psychological therapists from the Bangladesh Therapeutic Theatre Institute of Chittagong are working with the children to confront their fears of water and wind.

Rusho, one of the therapists, said: "There are a number of children here who are very traumatised. Some cannot remain standing, some have become uneasy, some have become restless and some have become stiff. There are some children who cannot hold a pen properly now.

"The image of waves and pain of losing family members have disturbed them psychologically."

It is with thanks to the tireless efforts of Rusho and his colleague, Reza that they have taught the children to laugh and play again.

Mental Health in Bangladesh
Back in Dhaka, Raj met up with mental health professionals who worked closely with ActionAid to determine the type of support that would be needed to deal with the psychological needs of those traumatised by the disaster.

Across Bangladesh, there are only 100 psychiatrists to look after a population of 140 million. Between 50 and 60 of those are based in Dhaka which leaves around 40 for the rest of the country.

Providing psychological care to alleviate some of the trauma associated with major disasters is vital in ensuring the long-term recovery of those most affected.

Dealing with psychological issues from the outset helps those caught up in disasters to recover more quickly and contributes to long term stability at a community level.

photo : ©Andrew Biraj/ActionAid