Dire need for psychologists in deep South
The three southernmost provinces are critically in need of psychologists to help heal the mental afflictions of residents in the violence-plagued region, according to a special state committee set up to look after the mental health of the southern population.
There are only 14 psychologists currently working at 14 out of the 37 hospitals in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani, said Dr Phetdao Tohmeena, secretary-general of the committee. "As the violence seems endless, we need at least a couple of psychologists per hospital, or 74 in total," she said, adding that the committee was requesting the assignment of more psychologists to the region. Remand centres around the country are a potential source of psychologists because they have the highest number of such professionals already on staff. At present, schoolteachers are seen to be particularly at risk from the psychological impact of the violence. A number of them have been killed and injured and there have been regular closures of schools in the three provinces, Phetdao said. To improve this situation, representatives from teachers in the region will be invited to sit on the psychological healing committee, where they can voice their concerns and their needs regarding psychological relief, she said, The Department of Mental Health said recently that more than half of the teachers in the deep South suffered from severe stress. A departmental team recently assessed the mental health of 500 teachers in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani, its director-general, ML Dr Somchai Chakrabhand, said.
Noppadol Petcharat The Nation
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