Work Coordination Meeting: Physical rehabilitation and mental health needs support

A national level work coordination meeting on Physical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Needs Support of Explosive Ordnance (EO) Victims in ASEAN regions was held in Nay Pyi Taw on Friday.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Soe Win, deputy ministers and concerned officials from the relevant Ministries, the charge de affaire ad interim of the Cambodian Embassy in Myanmar, representatives from the Republic of Korea and Laos Embassy as well as the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC), UN organizations and international non-governmental organizations, chairman of Myanmar Women's League and Myanmar Red Cross Society, members of mine risk education and officials from local non-governmental organizations and Invited guests.

At the meeting, the Union Minister said the meeting was aim to assist the establishment of Victim Assistance Network among ASEAN member countries for those injured by mine hazards, to understand the international mine action standards for those participating in the mine risk program, to explore the weakness and advantages for better plans related to physical rehabilitation and mental health support for those affected by explosive remnants of war in Myanmar.

He added that people who are affected by mine hazards have physical damage, mental damage, while their families also have some degree of impact on the environment. To adapt to these conditions, it is necessary to further promote the support work program to improve their physical and mental performance.

The Union Minister also highlighted that rehabilitating people injured by any explosive ordnance is a long-term task, and involves surgery, treatment, rehabilitation, follow-up care after surgery, providing support equipment, treatment with physical therapy, opening vocational training, psychological counseling and services to reduce pain. He said a field study and rehabilitation activities for those affected by mine hazards and interviewed the affected people was conducted at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (Yangon) under the Ministry of Health and Disabled Elderly Training School (Yangon) under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement to obtain the basic information of the feasibility study.

Similarly, interviews and group discussions were also conducted with those effected by mine harzards and service providers from the local non-governmentak organizations. The Union Minister added that the better future processes will be established for those victims based on the field observations from this meeting.

After that,  the executive director of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) gave an opening speech. The second session then continued with clarifying the international mine action standards related to assisting people affected by mine hazards, explaining the findings of the filed study, round table discussions and setting up the future steps.