Nepal’s government, in coordination with national and international aid agencies, has begun deploying mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) teams to regions recently affected by severe monsoon flooding. The initiative aims to provide psychological first aid and counseling to individuals and communities coping with the effects of the disaster, which officials report has led to displacement and significant loss of property.
The deployment follows weeks of heavy monsoon rains that inundated large areas of the country, particularly in the lowland Terai region. According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the floods have displaced thousands of families and caused extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and agricultural land.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Population confirmed that specialized teams are being sent to temporary shelters and affected villages. These teams consist of government health workers, psychologists, social workers, and volunteers trained in psychological first aid.
“Our immediate priority is to ensure the physical safety and basic needs of those affected, but we recognize that the psychological impact of such events is equally significant,” said an official from the Ministry of Health. “The MHPSS teams are trained to help survivors manage acute stress and grief in a non-intrusive way.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Nepal reported that it is providing technical support to the government to ensure the mental health response aligns with global best practices for emergencies. The focus is on providing practical care and support that respects the dignity, culture, and capabilities of the survivors.
Aid organizations on the ground, including the Nepal Red Cross Society, are also involved in the effort. In addition to distributing relief supplies like food, water, and shelter materials, Red Cross volunteers are offering psychosocial support to families in shelters. A spokesperson for the organization noted that helping people re-establish contact with family members and creating safe spaces for children are key components of their response.
Health professionals involved in the planning have outlined a two-phase approach. The first phase focuses on immediate psychological first aid—listening to people’s concerns, helping them meet their basic needs, and protecting them from further harm. The second, longer-term phase will involve establishing community-based support systems to identify and assist individuals who may require more specialized care for conditions such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Officials have not yet released comprehensive data on the number of people who have received psychosocial support, as teams are still reaching remote and heavily impacted areas. The government has stated that the relief and recovery operations, including the mental health response, will continue for the foreseeable future.
