Mental health staff in Gaza, working for MSF, have witnessed a surge of psychological stress and exhaustion among medical professionals. Their work is taking a toll on their mental wellbeing, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, depression, intrusive thoughts, emotional avoidance and nightmares. These issues put them at higher risk of developing mental health problems. Despite this, MSF is working hard to provide mental health support to these professionals.
However, there is still much that needs to be done to improve the mental health care available in Gaza. Davide Musardo, MSF’s Mental Health Activity Manager in Gaza, believes that a different approach is needed when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of medical staff. He emphasizes the importance of building resilience and coping mechanisms in an environment where even caregivers are not safe.
The looming offensive on Rafah has only added to the stress and anxiety felt by medical professionals in Gaza. Safety is crucial for psychological support and treatment but with no one or nowhere being safe in Gaza it’s difficult for them to build resilience and cope with the trauma they are experiencing daily. Local authorities have reported over 34,000 people killed since October 7th including 499 healthcare workers. Tragically five MSF colleagues are among the casualties too.
