Report on – 33IC Resolución 2: Atención a las necesidades psicosociales y de salud mental de las personas afectadas por conflictos armados, catástrofes naturales y otras emergencias – Ecuadorian Red Cross

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia
política
plan operativo

A nacional, local nivel

Explicación:

The Strategic Plan of the National Society of the Ecuadorian Red Cross 2021 – 2025.- aims to promote the construction of resilient communities to alleviate and prevent human suffering; strengthen people’s capacities to anticipate crises, overcome them and recover, in addition, promote spaces of empowerment for the enjoyment of healthy, safe and dignified living conditions.
Organizational structure.- In the Ecuadorian Red Cross, the Health and Community Development Program has three components: Health Care, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention that includes Nutrition, WASH, Community-Based Surveillance and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (SMAPS), there is an institutional strategy to strengthen the structure at the level of the Provincial Boards and Cantonal Boards at the national level, SMAPS has a basic, intermediate and advanced training network that allows the strengthening of the capacities of its humanitarian personnel, In addition, during 2021-2024, volunteer staff in the territorial network have been trained in Psychological First Aid, Care and Self-Care for Responders. SMAPS is activated in different emergencies and/or projects with attention to the community and volunteers.
National: the Ecuadorian Red Cross in its auxiliary role of the public powers of the State in the humanitarian field, works jointly with the Ministry of Public Health; At SMAPS he was part of the team that approved the Ten-Year Health Plan 2022-2031 that includes actions in Mental Health, he is currently part of the writing team of the Manual for addressing suicide attempts for first responders and first response teams. In addition, all National Society emergency activities have incorporated a focus and response on SMAPS, with recovery activities focusing on the provision of basic SMAPS services, family and community support and referral as appropriate.
The strategy of the Health and Community Development Program of the Ecuadorian Red Cross in the line of SMAPS that includes (Psychological First Aid, Care and Self-Care for the Responder, Support Groups) has to act at the national level at the local level and with the communities, The proposal is to generate in the future a national public health team in emergencies that includes Mental Health.

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
Sociedad Nacional de la Cruz Roja o de la Media Luna Roja de su país
gobierno y/o autoridades públicas
CICR/Federación Internacional
otras Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja
asociados en los ámbitos humanitario y de desarrollo (por ejemplo, Naciones Unidas, organizaciones no gubernamentales)
mundo académico

Ejemplos de cooperación:

The National Society of the Ecuadorian Red Cross has developed joint work with the Ministry of Public Health for the development of strategies in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, at the moment it is part of the writing team of the Manual of the First Responder in Suicides, the work jointly with the IFRC in updating the training programs on SMAPS and Care and Self-Care for Responders. There has been talk with PAHO-WHO to develop the community-MHGAP in the territorial network

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
recursos humanos
falta de capacidad y/o de apoyo (técnico, financiero o de otra índole)

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

There is little human resource specialized in Mental Health issues and Psychosocial Support in emergencies and at the community level, the lack of technical and financial support in Mental Health issues were the difficulties most encountered. In Ecuador, 50% of the problems are associated with depression and anxiety, especially in the economically active population. Since 2024 with the approval of the Organic Law on Mental Health, the country has legal protection for comprehensive care, promoting the physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional and relational well-being of all people in all areas.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

Tipo de repercusión:
fortalecimiento de la cooperación entre el gobierno o las autoridades públicas y la Sociedad Nacional
aumento de la eficacia y la eficiencia de los programas y operaciones
desarrollo y uso de herramientas o metodologías innovadoras
establecimiento o fortalecimiento de asociaciones con otros actores humanitarios
incremento en la movilización de recursos
formación y capacidad de los miembros del personal y de los voluntarios (en el caso de las Sociedades Nacionales);

Describa detalladamente las repercusiones:

The commitments described in the resolution have allowed early and continuous access to mental health services and psychosocial support by people affected in different emergencies, disasters or security crises. In particular, the inclusion of SMAPS in all activities identifies the prioritization of this line of action in the National Society. Training initiatives in Basic Psychological First Aid (PAP), Care and Self-Care for Responders, and Support Groups with humanitarian personnel have strengthened the capacity of the Ecuadorian Red Cross at the national level. The incorporation of educommunicational material with topics related to the promotion, prevention and comprehensive care in Mental Health that is articulated with the provisions of the Organic Law of Mental Health in force in Ecuador since January 2024, allows the Ecuadorian Red Cross to work throughout the territory as established by the Strategic Plan 2021-2025

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?