Mental health professionals in Libya are racing to help in the aftermath of flooding caused by Storm Daniel, in the hope of both providing immediate assistance and preventing long term psychiatric disorders. Says Dr. Mohamed Aburawi, who has developed an app through his telehealth startup Speetar, “Right now, there’s an acute demand for trauma counseling, grief support and stress management. We’ve mobilized a team of 40 remote mental health professionals offering consultations in the local Arabic dialect.”
The app has allowed collaborators from local medical facilities, to conduct over 1,000 remote consultations for residents of the affected area, while also supporting an AI bot trained on disaster-specific data. Partnerships with local telecoms have also allowed affected families to use the app and get locally customized information. Says Dr. Aburawi of the app, “Today, we’re not just reacting to a crisis; we’re equipping our local communities with the tools they need to emerge stronger and more resilient for the future.”
With respect to the potential importance of the app, previous studies have shown that early intervention for mental health after disasters can significantly reduce the occurrence of chronic psychiatric disorders, and telehealth interventions for mental health can greatly reduce costs of providing mental health support, which can be critical in area with limited resources.
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