Meet Dr Sumaya Shaftar providing urgent mental health support to flood-affected people in …
11 October 2023 – In the wake of the devastating flood crisis that struck Libya, the World Health Organization (WHO) works with local health authorities in eastern Libya to establish a range of mental health services, from basic psychological first aid to specialized psychiatric care. WHO is supporting the setting up of mental health clinics staffed by specialists to respond to the immediate needs of affected people and help deeply traumatized survivors to deal with grief, anxiety, and loss.
Meet Dr Sumaya Shaftar, a 44-year-old mental health specialist, who is based at a primary health care centre in Derna, Libya. The city was left devastated by the deadly floods that followed Storm Daniel in September 2023. An estimated 30 million cubic metres of water came roaring through the city when 2 dams in the nearby mountains collapsed. The torrent of water levelled entire city blocks and swept away whole families.
Dr Sumaya, can you describe the current situation in the flood-affected areas and among the affected population?
When I first entered Derna, it had been 3 weeks since the floods, and I saw some people reopening their shops and starting to move around the city to secure their necessities. But I didn’t see ordinary people on the streets. Instead, I saw bodies moving around with expressions that didn’t convey sadness, anger,