10th March, 2011
AMREF’s Response to the Gongo la Mboto Military Base Explosions
It has been three weeks since the devastating bomb explosions at the Gongo la Mboto Military Base munitions storage area. The explosions led to the deaths of more than 20 people and injured hundreds more. Thousands were displaced and hundreds of children were separated from their families. Since then, government ministries, non-governmental organisations, hospitals and communities have come together to help heal the wounds of those who were injured.
Local hospitals were completely overwhelmed by the required need for urgent support. The hospitals suffered greatly from depletion of supplies in the face of such an emergency. However, local and international community members came together to provide blood donations and other materials for the victims.
Based on AMREF’s experience over the years providing emergency support through the Flying Doctors Service and after the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Nairobi, as well as the World Cup bombings in Kampala, AMREF came forth to assist the victims by providing more than 1,500 units of medical supplies and medicine for Temeke and Amana Hospitals.
As physical wounds healed and the departed were grieved by family and friends, AMREF came to recognise the need to assist in the healing of the invisible wounds that result from such tragedy. Children were taken back home, hospitals attended to the sick and homes were declared safe to return to; but for all the victims, the trauma of the situation is what would take longest to heal.
A strange piece of metal on the ground or a loud sound things that one would normally take little notice of could haunt individuals. The trauma could possibly lead to high amounts of post-traumatic stress disorders and contribute to loss of sleep, appetite, paranoia and phobias.
In response to this, AMREF has teamed up with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), the Municipality of Ilala, Medical Women Association of Tanzania (MEWATA), Department of psychiatry and mental health at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT) to train counsellors on skills needed to respond to such emotional trauma.
The training addresses the current needs of the communities as well as building sustainable practices in the event of any future tragedies. This includes training in disaster response, bereavement and the impact of trauma on children and families. Other areas of training include:
- need assessment in disasters/crisis;
- assessing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder;
- public education on trauma response and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder;
- treatment of Child and Adolescent Trauma;
- enhancing Resilience in Families and Communities.
Eventually, the wounds of all those affected will heal; but the psycho-social trauma will remain if no intervention is taken. In partnership with government ministries and other partners, AMREF hopes that intervention through training for support of the affected will aid in the road to recovery for the invisible wounds of those affected.
| For more information contact: Dr Florence Temu Acting Country Director, AMREF in Tanzania +255 22 2116 610/2113673 |
