MSF is offering mental healthcare with a mobile clinic near a shelter in Darat Izza, a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the Aleppo Governorate, located 30 kilometers northwest of Aleppo.

SCRIPT

Abdulla Abu Husain, victim of the earthquake:
"No one expected this to happen, people are still afraid that something else could happen here.
The kids around here are scared. I could say they are terrorized, but that might be an understatement.
I have no appetite and I can’t sleep".

Following the earthquake in northwest Syria, MSF has been
delivering mental health care
with a mobile clinic, near
a shelter in Darat Izza,
a town located 30 km
northwest of Aleppo.

Waleed al Bik,victim of the earthquake:
"We are all living in fear.
The fear of going into the unknown future, where we will be next…
People here can’t eat, they need mental health support.
They need to be supported to be stronger.
People are in shock, some lost at least 5 or 6 of their ownand some are still under the rubble."

Doctor Ahmed Al A’araj,Emergency Doctor of MSF
"In general, our patients are mentally exhausted.
The patients are still in a shock with no understanding of what happened.
They aren’t aware of their surroundings, some think they are in a dream.
It’s a huge disaster, people need mental health support and specialized centers."

Yahya Shiakh Abboud, Supervisor of MSF Mobile Clinics:
"Regarding mental health support, most of our cases involve fear and sadness.
Many people are still in denial, they have not realized what has happened to them.
We face many cases of depression and anxiety with difficulty sleeping.
Also, some people have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Our biggest challenge for MSF is the massive number of people who need mental health support.
We need to psychologically support the victims of the earthquake.  
People need someone to listen to them, someone to give them advice. They need consolation.
After delivering psychological first aid,we should continue with a trauma recovery program, especially for women and children who lived through the disaster. They witnessed bloody scenes, corpses and carnage under the rubbles in Norwest Syria."  

Abdulla Abu Husain, victim of the earthquake
"We met psychologists here and we explained to them our condition.
We told them how tragic and hard it is now.  
We explained to them our pain and distress after the earthquake.
They respond and communicate with us.
They promised they will help us, they are doing what they can."

Since the earthquake happened, MSF gave 450 mental health consultations in the Idlib province.