KABUL - The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted mental health services and gender-sensitive relief, among its key concerns, as relief efforts continuing in aid of victims of a deadly landslide that struck a village in Afghanistan’s north-east earlier this month.

“Post-traumatic mental health problems are a key concern in the area as many families have lost their loved ones as well as property and all means of income. The social fabric of the community has been largely shattered,” the UN agency said on its website.

“Gender issues,” it contuned, “are central to emergency response activities and humanitarian partners recognize that relief can only be effective when the differing needs of women and men are understood and addressed.”

WHO also flagged lack of access to safe drinking water and water contamination as other concerns.

WHO is one of a number of UN agencies providing “critical assistance” to the landslide victims in Abi-Barik village, in Badakhshan province, to help them rebuild their lives, following the landslide which killed hundreds and left many missing on 2 May. According to its website, the UN agency has provided emergency medical kits, essential medicines, diarrhoea kits, and tents as part of efforts to provide health services at the site of the emergency.

Following a visit on 5 May to the affected areas, two senior UN humanitarian officials highlighted the longer-term needs of people displaced by natural disasters in the country as well as the need for long-term preventive measures.

A WHO field team, during a recent visit to the affected area, discovered dozens of children who have not spoken to anyone since the landslide destroyed the village.

“Some of them are still in a state of shock, so the mental health first aid teams are working to help them express themselves using art therapy and behavioural techniques such as drawing, playing and interacting with them,” said an epidemiologist who was part of the WHO team, Dr. Vickneswaran Sabaratnam.

The UN agency said the villagers are receiving mental health first aid from counselling teams and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health is currently conducting additional training for field teams on post-disaster mental health needs assessment, while women have been provided with “dignity kits and gender-sensitive latrines have been constructed.”

WHO noted that, up to 10 May, there were 34 female-headed households identified in the area as many women lost their husbands in the landslide. Facing the immense devastation brought about by the disaster and the burden of taking care of remaining family members also increases the risk of mental health issues for women, it noted.

“There is an urgent need to provide special housing and livelihood support for female-headed households,” said Dr. Sabaratnam. “A gender-sensitive approach to the emergency response is critical here to ensure that aid is effective. Women will stay in the community, raise their children and help build an even stronger community and a better future.”