COVID-19 Pandemic; FJWU Launches Counseling Service

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jul, 2020 ) :From the platform of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Head of Behavioral Sciences Department, Dr. Aneela Maqsood initiated and led a volunteer campaign in alliance with a team of volunteer national and international health professionals who are committed to offer volunteer services to deal with massive need of psychological services to support the community during COVID-19 pandemic.

FJWU managed to build an alliance in collaboration with Psychology Department of University of Sargodha, Dr. Najma Malik- Chairperson Psy. Dept., Chief Psychologist Dr. Shoaib Kiani, University of Sheffield, UK, Dr. Parveen Ali, Head of Nursing Studies Program, University of Houston Clear Lake, Houston, Texas USA, Dr. Samian Masood Gazail, Mental Health Services Ltd, Surrey, UK, Director & Prof. Dr. Ghazala Rehman, kids Hearts Hospital, UAE, Head of Psychology Dept., Prof. Dr. Tahir Saeed, Manchester Global Foundation, Prof. Dr. Nusrat Hussain and members from UK-Pakistan Science Innovation Global Network (UPSIGN), Pakistan Medical Association, Prof. Dr. Tahir Saeed, members from British Psychological Society & British Clinical Society and Mental Health First Aid England.

The team members are committed to offer volunteer services to deal with massive need of psychological services to support the community. The alliance group is committed to provide psychoeducation, psychological help & counseling using Digital Solutions. The alliance team provides a listening ear to the community and frontline health care professionals.

The experts are using digital platform to offer psychological services to Pakistani community to address psychological and medical symptoms associated with the pandemic.

Keeping in view the psychosocial impact of COVID-19, the services will be provided to the individuals and their families having a direct or indirect impact of Pandemic. Based on Biopsychosocial model, team will try to provide psychoeducation and coping strategies to deal with mass impact of pandemic upon physical, psychological, & social well-being. In addition to that psychological assistance will also be offered to the families to cope with incidence of abuse (verbal and physical), interpersonal conflicts and disputes. There is significant scientific evidence (as reported by United Nation 2020) suggesting an increase in physical and verbal violence.

Furthermore the team is encouraging the people to be more positive in this time of stress as positive attitude is a key to survive through any time of crisis and offering psychological assistance to the families coping with their grief, trauma and psychological symptoms who have lost their loved ones due to COVID-19.

Covid-19 pandemic has brought significant changes in work and family routines and lifestyle. Team will support the families how to adjust to new or novel situation and with rapid changes and social demands. Apart from that the experts are providing psychoeducational support fostering a systemic.