Médecins Sans Frontières: mental health care in post-tsunami Aceh Province, a field report

Benoît de Gryse¹, Barbara Laumont^2
1 psychologist working with MSF since 2005. After his mission in Aceh, he is now workingin Ambon in a tuberculosis program
² psychologist, is the mental health referent for MSF Belgium. Médecins Sans Frontiéres, Rue Dupré 94 – 1090 Jette – Belgium

Correspondence Address:

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None

This article describes a mental health program in the Aceh Province, a conflict area in Indonesia, after the tsunami. The intervention aimed to normalize community life, through activities such as the construction of a volleyball field and the organization of a tournament, as well as organizing talking groups to reinforce solidarity and mutual support. On an individual level, offering counselling services supported normalization. The beneficiaries appreciated the communities based group activities the most. As for individual psychological support, counselling proved to be an unknown approach for the majority of the population, and therefore did not always meet their expectations of a fast, practical resolution to their problems.