Bridgetown, Barbados, November 08, 2021 (PAHO/WHO) - The PAHO/WHO Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries presented the first in a series of webinars “Doing What Matters in Times of Stress” on Thursday November 4, 2021. Over 136 health care workers, social workers, counsellors, religious leaders, educators and other representatives from various sectors representing 18 countries participated.
This lunch hour webinar series is being held from 1:00-2:00pm every Thursday in the month of November. The series is hosted in collaboration with the Universal Health Coverage Partnership (UHC-P), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychology Associations (CANPA). The webinar series seeks to equip front line workers with the practical skills to cope with stress.
Dr Yitades Gebre, the PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean launched the webinar series and encouraged front line workers to look after their own mental health whilst providing support to others and encouraged others to take care of their own mental health. Developing coping skills and practicing stress management activities help to build individual resilience. He encouraged countries to make mental health services the foundation of the COVID-19 pandemic response. National COVID-19 plans should incorporate mental health and all sectors should work together to ensure that mental health services are widely available. Front line workers and other vulnerable groups should be given special attention and have access to the care and support they need and when they need it.
Links:
- Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide
- Recording of webinar held on Thursday November 4, 2021:
