Psychosocial Trauma Centre completed in Quake-hit Azad Kashmir
By Altaf Hamid Rao 'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Bureau Chief

MIRPUR (AJK): Almost over 80,000 people were killed by the devastating earthquake in Pakistan on 8th October 2005. Almost 3.5 million became homeless and lost their entire belongings.

The district of Bagh in the AJK's mountainous north, around 70 kilometres from the epicentre, was particularly severely hit. The emotional damage suffered by many people, however, is often worse than physical injury.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around ten percent of the population in the district of Bagh are suffering from slight to medium-degree trauma, mostly as a result of the earthquake.

Together with its Czech partner organisation People in Need, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) has set up a psychosocial centre in Bagh, which has been given the name of Noor Bagh, or "light of Bagh".

The centre was officially inaugurated on 14th January 2007 ,and the ceremony was attended by numerous local people.

Apart from small rooms for consultations, the centre has a large hall for group activities, a park-like garden with a playground for children as well as a cricket pitch.

Under the supervision of two qualified clinical psychologists and trained councellors, children, in particular, are given help in overcoming and dealing with their fears through play, drama and drawing.

Almost as important as the work in the centre is the work of counsellors who go out into villages and help people recognise their trauma. In Pakistani society, there is little understanding and acceptance of psychological illness and disorders, according to an independent experts report.

Because quake victims are still suffering from existential problems as well as emotional problems, they are also offered counselling and, whenever possible, support in "Noor Bagh".●