International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Afghanistan has said that its mental health specialists have provided tens of thousands of people with psychotherapy to recover from the effects of crises and disasters.
“From January to May, our teams have reached 174,477 people with mental health and psychosocial support and psychoeducation activities in Afghanistan,” IOM said in a tweet on Monday.
This comes amid a widespread depression and other mental health disorders that have plunged the traumatized population across the country amid worsening humanitarian and economic crises.
Despite the IOM mental health services, there is a significant need for such healthcare services in the country.
World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that nearly half of the population throughout the country is suffering from psychological stress and are impaired by mental health problems.
The WHO report suggests that chronic depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most prevalent mental health issues that have gripped people, with higher risk factors for women and girls who have been virtually erased from public life.
The lack of trained and professional psychologists and other mental health experts in a crippling health system has further compounded the existing challenges for mental healthcare service delivery.
