Orientation on Psychological First Aid (PFA) by Prof.Dr. TV Anilkumar (Dept. of Psychiatry, GMCT) and Psw. Ancy B. Kairali (Project Coordinator-cum- Consultant, DMHP) 8.00-10.00pm on 23 & 24 July. This preparatory program was meant to equip the MSW Sem-3 trainees for a Psychosocial Support Cadre for KSMHA in caring for quarantined health personnel.

Dr.Anilkumar, a good friend of Loyola oriented them on the basics of PFA – Look, Listen & Link, and briefed us on logistics of the project that we are building up with Mr.Naseer Kutty. We are thankful Dr. Jaya Prakashan (Secretary, KSMHA) for convening the initial meeting on 22 July in spite his schedule and coordinating and cobbling up this initiative.

Ancy oriented us beautifully from her experience about the setting and the client systems of the institutionalised under treatment, quarantined (home and institutional), young mothers and children who are the most vulnerable during COVID-19. She provided us on the basics of PFA and techniques for engagement from her experiences manning hotlines and counselling client. She stressed also on self-care and providing assurance.

I admire the young team for staying up late evenings on all two days especially Ananthu BL and Varsha Madhu Korapath who volunteered to bring in their experience to lead the Team in documentation logistics.