PETALING JAYA, Jan 8 — The 2004 tsunami was the starting point of psychosocial support services going from an ad-hoc basis to becoming a well thought out plan of action for future disaster survivors.

The Health Ministry has since formed teams that have been involved in several incidents, such as the Sabah incursion two years ago, the twin Malaysia Airlines tragedies and the current disastrous floods.

“There will be those who feel sad, distressed and cannot sleep. When they hear that this is normal in a disaster, it is a relief because they will then know they are not going crazy,” said Health Ministry psychiatry services head Dr Toh Chin Lee, who is coordinating the psychosocial response team for the floods.

“These floods have proven unique because the health personnel are also victims themselves. The burden is double for them because they have to work during this time. They (affected staff) have been doing a fantastic job.

“More recently, we have had reports of health staff requesting for help and this is important because they really need it.”

Dr Toh, who was involved in all the major national tragedies since the tsunami, said this was especially true in areas like Kuala Krai, Kelantan, where hospital staff could not leave because of the floods and also lost their homes.

“One doctor was affected because although she managed to escape the floods with her husband and children, she spent more than a week worrying about the other members of her family. They had been cut off as there was no electricity and handphone batteries were dead,” he said adding shock, grief and stress are among the typical feelings disaster victims go through.

“It is important not to keep such feelings bottled up because then it could become worse or even develop into post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Dr Toh said because of the magnitude of the floods, teams of volunteers had to be sent to the affected states compared to previously when local staff was sufficient. These teams were given refresher training and sent in batches.

Those from out of state were then integrated with local staff who know the local dialect better. Among their duties were providing support to groups of people and identifying those who needed individual help.