care Prof:
Victims of the on-going conflict in Colombia not only suffer from the direct consequences of violence triggered by the conflict but also from social and institutional stigma and neglect, based onInside the report, titled “Three Time Victims,” MSF documents how violence, stigma, and neglect impact the mental well being of people living in Caquet?????? Department of southern Colombia, and calls for mental health services to be adapted towards the requirements of this vulnerable population.
“Our teams witness the appalling reality endured by most with the population in Caquet??????,” said Teresa Sancrist????val, head of MSF operations in Colombia. “On the one hand, individuals are exposed to the violence perpetrated by the different armed groups, and on the other hand authorities and society fail to provide them with the attention they deserve. The consequences of this situation for mental wellness consist of severe psychological suffering that should be addressed by authorities.”
Between March 2005 and September 2009, MSF saw 5,064 patients in its mental wellness project in Caquet??????. Of these patients, 49.two percent had been directly exposed towards the conflict, caught within the fighting between armed groups, also as violent incidents involving threats, injuries, forced recruitment, displacement, movement restrictions, or killings of family members.
The victims of the conflict not only endure the consequences of direct violence, but also face social stigma. “In Colombia, the stigma surrounding those affected by the conflict forces them to keep silent about their condition and suffering, which prevents their social integration and recognition and sense of belonging,” said Mar???aa Crist????bal, MSF mental health officer in Colombia. This prevents people’s access to employment, housing, education, and wellness.
In addition to direct violence and social stigma, victims are often excluded from receiving state support through social services. This institutional neglect can be clearly observed through the scant recognition with the forced displacement phenomenon in Colombia.
“The Colombian government should live up to its responsibility in terms of tending towards the needs of these individuals,” said Sancrist????val. “Based on our experience in Caquet??????, we can say that offering mental well being care with limited resources in conflict contexts is possible and that this care can effectively improve patients’ conditions.”
Source:
Doctors Without Borders