WHO Scales Up Mental Health Support for Armenian Refugee Population through Mobile Teams and Hotlines

The World Health Organization (WHO) is dedicated to scaling up Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services for Armenian refugee and host populations. Over the past six months, WHO has established a mobile team that travels weekly to affected communities to provide immediate MHPSS support. To date, over 973 individuals have received MHPSS consultations, with 16% being children and 35% being older people.

Vahan Simonyan, a psychiatrist on the mobile team, emphasizes the ongoing acute mental health needs in the population. He notes that after six months, they are diagnosing more long-term and chronic conditions like depression, as refugees with existing mental health histories are showing severe signs of distress. The provision of MHPSS for burn patients, their families, and medical staff has also been a significant focus of WHO’s response. Over 1262 individual sessions have been provided to 149 individuals, including 96 burn patients, 32 family members, and 21 medical staff.

WHO has also conducted trainings and capacity-building sessions on basic psychosocial skills, self-care, and stress management for over 360 nurses. As of March 2024, six months after the influx of refugees from the Karabakh region, the demand for psychological support continues to grow. This necessitates additional funding to integrate MHPSS services into primary health care and to further enhance community resilience. WHO remains committed to addressing the mental health needs of the population and providing essential support for those affected by the crisis.

In addition to providing immediate MHPSS support through its mobile team, WHO is working on building the capacity of its MHPSS hotline. Operators are available to provide support, referrals