Addressing challenges in children ’s mental health in disaster-affected areas in Japan and the Philippines – highlights of the training program by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine

AbstractBackground and purposeNatural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and volcanic eruptions frequently occur in Republic of Philippines and mental health care for children affected by these natural disasters is a major public health concern. Aiming to train health professionals on children ’s mental health, to conduct a situational analysis to identify the local needs and resources for children’s mental health, and to propose a mental health program for children that can be transferred from Japan to the Philippines, the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) conduct ed a training program for children’s mental health in disaster-affected areas in Japan and the Philippines in June, October, and December, 2017. The training was organized by NCGM for the Program for International Promotion of Japan’s Healthcare Technologies and Services funded by Ministry of He alth, Labour,& Welfare, Japan in relation to the Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Healthcare between NCGM in Japan and University of the Philippines Manila, College of Public Health.Key highlightsThe training program consisted of classroom trainings, site visits, and round table discussions in Japan and the Philippines. The classroom trainings and site visits focused on two points: the experiences of individuals and families who survived the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) in 2011 and super typhoon Haiyan in 2013 and the program and activities, especially on mental...
Source: BMC Proceedings - Category: Biomedical Science Source Type: research