THE Myanmar Red Cross Society will send 25 members to cyclone-hit areas in mid July as part of its psychological support system, Dr Aung Kyaw Htut, head of MRCS’ training division, said last week.

“All of these members were given psychology training in Yangon last year and we have chosen nine townships within Yangon and Ayeyarwady divisions to cover with this program,” he said.

The nine townships are Kungyangon in Yangon Division, and Labutta, Bogale, Mawlamyinegyun, Pyapon, Dedaye, Kyaiklat, Myaungmya and Ngapudaw in Ayeyarwady Division.

“We will send teams of two or three people depending on the size of the area they’re covering. After their two-week tours they will return to Yangon and we’ll conduct a workshop to determine futures efforts,” he added.

He said that although villagers are receiving relief supplies to make sure they do not die from starvation, exposure or disease the mental and social problems caused by the cyclone remain untreated.

“We need to go out into the fields and ask people about their problems and issues so that we’re better able to provide support,” he said.

Dr Aung Than Oo, an associate professor of Psychology at the Yangon University and a trained MRCS psychologist, said healing the mental scars will take time.

“Although we can replace some of the physical losses these people endured, we can’t simply replace their confidence or solve their mental problem. It will take a long time for many of these people to return to a normal state of mind,” he said.

The program is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.