The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) One-stop Service Centre in Cox’s Bazar.
This innovative facility aims to provide comprehensive mental health, psychosocial, protection, and health services to the Rohingya refugee community.
The facility was inaugurated by H E Irma van Dueren, Ambassador of the Netherlands, alongside IOM’s Acting Chief of Mission Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali and Additional Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, Md Shamsud Douza.
The inaugration featured a guided tour of the centre, cultural performances by Rohingya artisans, and the awarding of certificates to refugees who have completed psychosocial and protection skills development programmes.
Designed as a holistic response to the mental health, psychosocial, and protection challenges faced by the Rohingya, the centre integrates multiple essential services under one roof.
“The Government of the Netherlands has Mental Health and Psychosocial Support as a priority within its humanitarian interventions. The One Stop Service Centre realized by IOM for Rohingya refugees Camp 20 Extension supported by the Government of the Netherlands and others, is a good example of the integrated approach needed for MHPSS,” said Ambassador Dueren.
Key features of the centre include private counselling rooms, safe spaces for children, SRH services covering family planning and adolescent health education, and a mini-Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC) where Rohingya artisans preserve and celebrate their culture through storytelling, arts, and crafts.
The facility also boasts a multipurpose space for community engagement and “Shanti Barir Bagan,” a community garden designed to promote mental well-being through gardening activities.
Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali commented on the centre’s impact: “Marking an important milestone in enhancing the well-being and resilience of refugees in the camps, this centre is a testament of IOM’s commitment to supporting the mental health, protection and preservation of Rohingya cultural heritage of the Rohingya refugees.”
The Netherlands played a pivotal role in funding the centre, along with contributions from organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia, and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
The initiative is further supported by the European Union, Government of Japan, US Department of State, World Bank, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
The centre is seen as a model for integrated refugee care, providing crucial services in one location, and aims to set a new standard for humanitarian interventions in refugee settlements worldwide.
