COVID-19 to cause more trauma: WHO

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday said the COVID-19 pandemic was likely to cause more mass trauma worldwide than World War II.

In a report titled Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus predicted that the mental health toll of the coronavirus pandemic would last for many years to come.

“After the Second World War, the world has experienced mass trauma, because the Second World War affected many, many lives. And now, even with this COVID-19 pandemic, with bigger magnitude, more lives have been affected. Almost the whole world is affected; each and every individual on the surface of the world actually has been affected,” Ghebreyesus said.

“And that means mass trauma, which is beyond proportion, even bigger than what the world experienced after the Second World War.”

The assertions by the WHO boss came at a time concern has been raised over whether countries should take into account the impact of the pandemic on the economy, as well as issues to do with mental health as they chart their future plans.

WHO head of emerging diseases and zoonosis, Maria Van Kerkhove, added: “There are variations in terms of the impact that this has had on individuals, whether you have lost a loved one, or a family member or friend to this virus. There needs to be a lot more emphasis by governments, by communities, by families, by individuals to look after our wellbeing.”

In a statement in relation to COVID-19 and mental health, Society for Pre- and Post-Natal Services (SPANS) secretary and chief talent team leader Linos Muvhu said the pandemic had brought about major changes in the lives of the ordinary people, affecting their social lives and relationships in the process.

“As Society for Pre- and Post-Natal Services, a mental health organisation supporting sound mental health along the life cycle, we are in total agreement with the WHO director that there is need for mental health support now more than ever,” Muvhu said.

“With the support of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we are going to continue efforts at community level to educate, raise awareness and provide professional family therapy in a bid to promote sound mental health for the nation.”

He said government should start investing in maternal, paternal and child mental health issues, which would result in sound mental health for the entire nation.