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| | Psychiatry intervention for Sichuan earth quake | | 2008-6-25 16:53:29 Chinese Society of Psychiatry Zou Yizhuang, MD,Ph.D |  1. Zou Yizhuang, MD. PhD, consultant psychiatrist, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital.
2. Zhou Dongfeng, MD, President of Chinese Society of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health of Peking University.
Nearly 70,000 people have been killed, 373000 hurt and 18000 lost in the earthquake that has struck Sichuan province in the southwest China. The earthquake struck at 2:28 pm Monday and was of the magnitude of 8.0 on Richter scale. The worst hit area is at Wenchuan county, a hilly area about 100 km from the provincial capital Chengdu.
After the earthquake, Ministry of Health organized psychiatric professionals to go to disaster areas to supply psychosocial intervention. By May 20th, Ministry of Health has expedited totally 171 psychiatric professionals, including psychiatrists, nurses and psychotherapists, by way of setting up medical team and epidemic preventing team(1). The 171 members have been distributed among Chengdu city, Mianyang city (Pingwu county), Deyang city (Shifang county), and Chongqing city where the wounded were transferred. They worked with medical staffs, psychologists, teachers and volunteers.
This is the largest crises intervention action in the history of China. Our professionals such us psychiatrists, nurses, and psychologists went to local general hospitals for psychiatry consultation and training, or went to schools to help teachers and students in a consultant center and provide training for volunteers, or went to tent areas to help those who loss their families, relatives and belongings after the earth quick.
Their work has been highly evaluated by the local people, professionals and government, though some lessons have been learned through the action: less prepared and trained team, less professional administration, less coordinate among psychiatrists, psychologists, volunteers and other professionals, less resource for long term intervention.
Mental Health Dept. of Ministry of Health organized experts to compile and revise technical documents on psychological crisis intervention with the following titles: "Psychological Crisis Intervention" (revised); "Guiding Principles on Emergent Psychological Crisis Intervention" on May 19(2). Authorized by Ministry of Health, National Center for Mental Health, China-CDC organized experts to compile Self and Mutual Psychological Help Guidelines on May 16 with the following titles: "Self and Mutual Psychological Help", Guideline 1: Public Psychological Crisis Intervention in Earthquake; Guideline 2: Prevention and management of Psychological Stress Response of Children due to Earthquake; Guideline 3: Intervention of Bereavement due to Earthquake. These guidelines can be used by psychosocial responders and general population, and Chinese versions can be downloaded from both websites of Ministry of Health and National Center for Mental Health, China-CDC(3). A long term intervention project to Wenchuan earth quake was in discussed hold by Chinese Society of Psychiatry and Chinese Mental Health Association.
Reference:
1. 171 Psychiatric Professionals already sent by Ministry of Health to Sichuan, website of Ministry of Health.
2. Ministry of Health issued technical documents on psychological crisis intervention on May 19, Web site of National Center for Mental Health, China-CDC.
3. Ministry of Health issued Self and Mutual Psychological Help Guidelines on May 16, Web site of National Center for Mental Health, China-CDC.
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Ministry of Health, (2003) No.013
ICP:No.040657