It was a nightmare to run here and there, making calls after calls to families and friends to know their whereabouts after the terrifying tremors. I was lucky to find my near and dear ones safe. However, their state of mind was not. Incessant shrieks could be heard and in a jiffy thousands died.Walking back in the same street after a week, things looked to be getting back to normal until I came across a child. The little boy in his unclear tone was saying to his father "Earthquake!" pointing at a flag flapping nearby. I could not figure out the fear and insecurity among children and the predicament our future generation is in. This incident brought home that the visible damage is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the real long-term damage caused to children.
Disasters are unpredictable. With changing global climate, rising sea levels and increasing human population, disasters are more common these days. The earthquake of April 25 brought a big challenge to national and international organizations, Nepal government and citizenry as a whole to better prepare for disaster management.
As the frequency and intensity of disaster increases, children are at elevated risk as they are psychologically vulnerable and may develop post-traumatic stress disorder or related symptoms. Also, they are physically vulnerable to death, injury, illness, and abuse; and often experience disruptions in their educational progress as a result of disasters. That is why children require different forms of physical, social, mental, and emotional support to address their special needs.
At a time when national and international volunteers are engaged in rescue program, the plight of children is not being addressed. Handling this issue only after completion of rescue and relief might be too late. Though youths are involved in all kinds of disaster management works and they constantly train and prepare themselves, the government must not only ensure that young people work alongside other volunteers, but also design specific youth activities and programs.
Children are the future of the nation and their physical and mental health is a necessity. Government must immediately form a special commission to manage rehabilitation of children, including those who have become orphans, engage youth volunteers, and train teachers in effectively counseling, teaching and mentoring the population affected by the Great Earthquake. It can employ educated youth in this effort so that both the youth population, which is otherwise unemployed, and children, whose state of mind is at stake, mutually benefit.
If we incorporate sports, extra-curricular activities, fitness and fun-filled activities to foster team spirit, cooperation, intellectual curiosity and discipline, then rehabilitation would be simpler and faster. Psychologists and other mental health professionals can contribute to this through psycho-educational interventions. It also depends on how parents become involved in the process of normalization where they play an important role in children's reconciliation with life's events unfolding around them.
If the child victims are not rehabilitated efficiently by keeping in mind their emotional, social, physical and educational needs, there will be costly repercussions for generations to come. Furthermore, there will be spillover effects, disturbing social harmony, wellbeing and economic progress.
It is essential that public and private organizations adopt both short- and long-term solutions that facilitate good physical and mental health services of children. Finally, it is critical that mental health considerations become an integral part of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. This should be especially true for children and others at-risk and vulnerable populations.
The author is a Business Planning Officer at Prabhu Bank Ltd
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