Honduras: Providing psychosocial support to COVID-19 patients

The psychosocial care team, made up of psychologists and health promoters, gives each patient an activity book when they are admitted, in which they can draw, paint, and read, as a tool for recreational activity and for mental health care. This activity goes hand in hand with psychological care, which is carried out by phone and in person.

“Reading helped me a lot during my time here. It helped me not to think about the disease and it was something very positive," Erenia, a patient at the COVID-19 center, said when she was discharged.

"As MSF, we highlight the mental health care that is given to patients, family members and the health personnel themselves, since it is a component that seeks to give emotional support to all these people," said Silva. 

"MSF's kind and enthusiastic care to each patient helps us to see ahead into the future and be able to recover physically," said Francisco, another patient who was discharged from the COVID-19 center. "And I want to thank the mental health team for their kindness and listening time, it helps us to have a better and speedy recovery."

To complete the psychosocial care process and treatment, when they are discharged, each patient is asked to leave a message to the health professionals. They also receive a kit with psychosocial support activities to take home, which has medical guidance for patients in recovery, recommendations for mental health care, information on ways to protects themselves and their families from COVID-19, and leisure activities.

The patients inside the COVID-19 center received quality medical care, access to video calls to speak with their families, and psychosocial care for patients and their families in order to alleviate the pain caused by this disease.