Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Report from: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Vice Chancellery for Health
Published on: 30 January 2021

The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult emotional experiences that people can have in life. The pain and grief that follows can seem, at times, totally overwhelming.

Bereavement from COVID-19 is likely to be a very challenging for most people. Therefore, it is really important that people bereaved by COVID-19 are cared for and receive support, especially in the first days and weeks following their bereavement. It has been well known that early self-care, care from people immediately around the bereaved person, and care from others too, can mean that it is easier, over time, to make a recovery, with good mental health. Without early care, traumatically bereaved people are more likely to develop life-impairing illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Bereaved Families Are "the Secondary Victims of COVID-19"

During coronavirus pandemic, to provide covid-19 bereaved families with emotional support and to alleviate their anxiety, health experts of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZAUMS) offered grief counseling to these families. According to Public Relations report, Dr. Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, Vice Chancellor for Health at ZAUMS, said: “Mental health should be a concern for all of us, rather than only for those who suffer from mental disorders, no group is immune to mental disorders.”

World Mental Health Day provides us, as society members, with an opportunity to take certain steps to support our mental health and that of our family and friends and to develop suitable conditions ensuring everybody’s access to mental health services.

Referring to one billion people who live with a mental disorder and 3 million deaths from alcohol abuse every year, and one death every 40 seconds from suicide, Dr. Tabatabaei noted that at present billions of people are affected by covid-19 pandemic and its adverse mental effects. However, relatively a small number of people can have access to quality mental health services across the world and in countries with low and medium income, over 75 percent of individuals with mental and neurological diseases and alcohol dependents receive no treatment for their plight.

He pointed out that investment in mental health amounts to decrease in social harms and further added that according to the National Mental Health Survey in 2010-2011, more than 23 percent of people aged 15-64 suffer from one or more psychiatric disorders and the rate is 31 percent for the Province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

“Offering grief and psychological counseling to over 200 covid-19 bereaved families has been one of the most important measures taken by mental health experts of the university since onset of the crisis and mental health specialists of the University played an effective role in relieving stress and anxiety of the people in the area under coverage of ZAUMS.” Dr. Tabatabaei said.

Vice Chancellor for Health concluded his remarks with highlighting the need for psychological support as long as the pandemic prevails and expressed readiness of physicians and mental health experts at Comprehensive Health Centers to serve people and stated that our dear compatriots can directly call our psychologists via our hotline at 4030.

Copyright © 2021 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved. Date updated: 30/01/2021

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