Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 10, 2020 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis’ Red Cross Society in its efforts to help the residents of the Federation cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, is offering psychosocial support.
The was announced by the Director General of the St. Kitts and Nevis’ Red Cross Society, Hester Rawlins, during his presentation at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing for April 09.
He stated that the reasoning for offering this support is because, “The operations of the Red Cross are guided by seven fundamental principles with one such principle being humanity.”
As such, he highlighted that “This principle encourages its volunteers to prevent and alleviate human suffering and to protect life and health.”
The Director stated that “Psychosocial support as an integral part of an emergency response, helps individuals and communities to heal the psychological wounds and rebuild social structures before, during and after an emergency of a critical event.”
“Early and active psychosocial support can prevent distress and suffering developing into something more severe, help people to cope better and reconcile everyday life, help beneficiaries to resume their normal lives and communities to identify their needs,” he said.
“The service delivery of this type of support would be done via hotline,” he added.
“The National Security secured ten cellular phone numbers, six of which in the first instance have been assigned to trained psychosocial support specialists located in St. Kitts as well as in Nevis,” said the Director.
The psychosocial support (PSS) hotline would be commissioned from tomorrow Friday, April 10th with the personnel available from 7am to 10pm daily via whatsapp or direct call.
At the Nevis Branch the numbers are: PSS Personnel 869-663-7879 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; PSS Personnel 869-664-4119 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm; and PSS Personnel 869-665-4583 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
At the St. Kitts Branch the numbers are: 869-661-2852 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm; PSS Personnel 869-661-2603 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; and PSS Personnel 869-664-2614 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
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