The Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has rendered 5,341 counselling
sessions on mental health for children and adults in Gwoza Local
Government Area of Borno.
People in the border community with Cameroon; had been witnessing acts
of violence or lost loved ones, livelihoods and homes to flee for
safety.
While lamenting psychological traumas of victims, MSF’s Mental Health
Activity Manager, Kyla Storry, in a statement Tuesday in Maiduguri,
disclosed that; “as long the crises lasts, the need for mental health
support will continue to grow.”
She said that it’s crucial that mental healthcare is available to
people living in camps and host communities of Gwoza.
Her words: “We’ve conducted 2,144 group psychosocial activities for
children and adults overcome traumas they went through during decade
long insurgency.
“People in Gwoza have a wide range of mental health needs.”
She noted that some of these are typical of the pressures related to
daily life anywhere in the world.
She stated that many are directly and indirectly related to recent
insurgency and the ongoing conflict in the state.
According to her; “Children can draw assault rifle better than a
football or an animal.”
Storry attributed mental ill health to issues of grief and loss,
trauma, the stressors of living in a camp for displaced people.
She added that lack of employment, constant safety concerns and food
insecurity can affect the ability of people to cope and function.
“Our work focuses on helping people learn ways to manage the issues in
their life so that they can live the best they can in these difficult
circumstances,” she said.
On incessant attacks and abductions, she said: “Many children have
lost family members to death and abduction. They’ve been uprooted from
their home and forced to flee, while some have been abducted.
“Life in their community has changed dramatically, and parents and
caregivers are highly stressed, which affects the well-being of
children.
“We see children who are wetting the bed, having nightmares and
experiencing problems at school.”
She said some of the children exposed to violence engage in play that
includes shootings and killings with their friends.
She noted that when children are given paper and pencils for drawing,
they can draw assault rifles better than a football or animal.
According to her, the doctors without borders have invested in mental
health services in Gwoza through staffing, education and training.
“It’s crucial that mental healthcare is available to children and
adults living in this situation,” she said.
