Joanne Goodwin
Projects Assistant
Direct Tel: +44 (0) 1625 664049
Fax No: +44 (0) 1625 664164
January 3, 2005
Prof. Mohammed Rezaul Karim
President, Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists
Prof. A. H. Mohammad Firoz
Secretary, Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists
Prof. Anil Malhotra
President, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry
Prof. Rakesh K. Chadda
Secretary, Indian Association for Social Psychiatry
Prof. J.K. Trivedi
President, Indian Psychiatric Society
Dr. Roy Abraham Kallivayalil
Secretary, Indian Psychiatric Society
Prof. G. Pandu Setiawan
President, Indonesian Psychiatric Association
Prof. S. Danardi
Secretary, Indonesian Psychiatric Association
Prof. T. Maniam
President, Malaysian Psychiatric Association
Dr. Philip George
Secretary, Malaysian Psychiatric Association
Prof. Sao Sai Lon
President, Myanmar Medico-Psychological Society
Dr. Zaw Sein Lwin
Secretary, Myanmar Medico-Psychological Society
Dr. Buddhi Karunathilaka
President, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists
Dr. Rajive Weerasundara
Secretary, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists
Dr. Vira Khuangsirikul
President, Psychiatric Association of Thailand
Prof. Ronachai Kongsakon
Secretary, Psychiatric Association of Thailand
Dear Colleagues,
We would wish on behalf of the world psychiatric community to express our deepest sorrow to those families and any member of your societies who have been devastated by this cataclysmic cosmic tragedy.
We would like you to let us know what help the WPA community can provide on a short and long-term basis to strengthen the mental health expertise and indigenous supports already available in your own country.
The WPA has access only to limited financial resources which nevertheless could facilitate travel for Regional leaders, for example, including Zonal Representatives to attend coordination meetings. The WPA is committed to address and assist in the long term strategy and rehabilitation of the victims of this disaster.
Clinical expertise is available through the WPA Programme on Disasters chaired by Prof. George Christodoulou (e-mail ) and Prof. Juan Lopez Ibor (e-mail ) and Prof. Moty Benyakar, Chair of the WPA Section on Disasters (e-mail ).
Professor Deva, our zonal representative for the region, is already in contact with our member societies, informing them about the availability of Professor Murthy's (from WHO-EMRO) Simple guidelines in the management of psychosocial disasters among victims.
Also the Chair of the section of disasters professor Moty Benyakar will have available guidelines regarding programs for disaster relief. Professor Helen Chiu, President of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists, which is an affiliate association to WPA, is willing to cooperate with the WPA and WHO forlong-term support and mentioned in her letter that she has members and fellows who are fluent in Malai, Thai and Indonesian languages. Dr Philip Morris and Russell D' Suza Secretary General of IAPA and ASAPF from Australia and Dr. KuaEe Heok from Singapore are all willing to cooperate with WPA and WHO for a strategy for disaster relief. Our ZR in the region, Prof. Deva, will try to facilitate all the efforts.
The President and EC members of the WPA will coordinate all activities, with the help of our ZR, so that all preparations are organized for a practical outcome more than an emotional reaction to the disaster.
We have an EC meeting in Cairo, on February 11th and 12th, 2005, and we shall discuss all your feedback.
The forthcoming Regional meeting in Athens March 12-15, 2005 and the WPA co-sponsored meeting in Sri Lanka will provide also an opportunity to review the scale
of the mental health casualties and facilitate the exchange of clinically relevant knowledge and of useful research data.
We await your advice and assure you of our support and prayers at this time of unprecedented human and economic loss.
Cordial regards,
Prof. Ahmed OkashaJohn Cox
President WPASecretary General WPA
Cc: WPA Executive Committee, Zonal Representatives, Council, all other Member Societies, Ethics Committee, Review Committee, Section Chairs, Prof. Helen Chiu, President of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists, Dr. Russell D’Suza, Secretary General of IAPA and ASAPF, Dr. Philip Morris, and Dr. Kua Ee Heok