The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) launched the “Stronger Together” campaign to help Caribbean communities promote mental wellbeing and positive coping strategies during times of stress and crisis.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health and provide tools and information to promote psychosocial support as the region navigates the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing hurricane season. “Stronger Together” also tackles the stigma associated with accessing mental health services.
It places a special focus on vulnerable people, such as children and adolescents, women, older persons, persons with disabilities, essential workers, and people with pre-existing conditions.
The campaign forms part of a joint project by PAHO and CDB on mental health and psychosocial support in disaster management, and follows a recent capacity building initiative for journalists and health communicators on responsible reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on mental health.
The awareness campaign will run until November 2020 and includes an illustrated booklet on psychological first aid; an audio version of the illustrated booklet; a social media package; public service announcements for radio; human interest stories, and a radio jingle to be broadcast across the Caribbean Region.