Kerala landslides: Heavy machine operators also given mental health counselling

Wayanad, Kerala: Not just the survivors or next of kin of those who died in the massive landslides which hit this north Kerala district, mental health counselling is being provided by the state government to even the operators of the heavy machines who help in unearthing remains from the debris.

The state Health Department, in a statement, said that its psychology division has been providing mental health counselling to the heavy machine operators.

It said that post the counselling, the operators have gained the realisation that their sense of purpose cannot be weakened by their continuous work in the disaster-hit areas and miserable sight before their eyes.

There are more than 300 heavy machine operators, including from other states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Karnataka, and therefore, the department is providing counselling in different languages, the statement said.

Additionally, a mobile mental health unit has been set up to provide mental health care and support to everyone affected by the landslides.

The unit provides both group and individual counselling and services of doctors in medical colleges have also been made available, state Health Minister Veena George has said in a statement.

The minister also gave strict instructions that no one should enter the camps and provide counseling without the approval of the health department.

Besides that, a super-speciality teleconsultation for providing specialist treatment will also be made available to those living in camps and houses in the disaster area, the minister said.

Tele-counselling is also being provided for the victims of the disaster, state Higher Education and Social Justice Minister R Bindu said in a separate statement.

Bindu said that the tele-counselling system has been put in place by the National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMAR) which comes under the Department of Social Justice.

The minister said that those in need of the service can call the following numbers -- 9288099587, 9288004981, 9288008981.