I do not travel often, but when I do, I either listen to the pre-flight instructions or close my eyes in oblivion. On my recent trip, however, I stayed alert and paid close attention to the safety protocols delivered by the flight attendant. In the event of a sudden change of air pressure inside the plane, oxygen masks will be released from the headboard. While it was nothing extraordinary, I listened intently to how oxygen masks must be worn by individuals before they can assist others. I reflected on this while on my way to intern in a humanitarian crisis caused by a super typhoon.
Wondering how much support humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) receive is not meant to undermine the main priority of humanitarian organizations – ‘to provide relief and prevent the suffering of people affected by the crisis’ (UNHCR) (1). On the contrary, it highlights the importance of well-equipped humanitarian staff to carry out their mission. We just celebrated World Humanitarian Day 2021 with the core message #ittakesavillage to highlight the growing need for humanitarian actors amid the world’s expanding global humanitarian crises. Despite global admiration for this selfless profession, there has been limited focus on HAWs’ mental and physical health across their mission
Comorbidity of Crisis
Imagine fighting the EBOLA outbreak in DRC, delivering nutrition packages to children in a hostile area like South Sudan, or providing psychosocial care to victims of typhoons in Southeast Asia, in the middle of the pandemic. As if the task is not challenging enough, the fear of contracting COVID-19 while carrying out the mission exacerbates the risk of physical and mental exhaustion among humanitarian actors. A senior official from ICRC Geneva reported that COVID-19 created more demands for mental health services for staff and volunteers. Some of the reasons for the anxiety are caused by not being able to do their job and stress over their family and personal health. Sadly, aid workers working in low- and middle-income countries s (with high levels of disparity in vaccine distribution) have the highest risk of infection(3). Being isolated and far from a support system while looking after other people might lead to anxiety or extreme stress. This reminds me that humanity and all its facets remain intact despite being trained for a crisis. I witnessed this reality when some of my then colleagues got COVID-19 while delivering health services during the typhoon crisis. Although they received support from the team, being isolated in what was already considered a ‘depressing environment’ by many on the team could affect their mental and physical health. While I was glad to see them in good humor during our virtual meetings, I noticed that some of them unconsciously apologized for getting sick and causing minor delays to the team. One could argue that it is common to see misplaced guilt disguised as a dedication to helping others among humanitarian workers.
A Sense of Meaning vs Compassion Fatigue
I came across compassion fatigue while looking for a term to describe the emotional exhaustion one feels when the help given to others can no longer be sustained due to burnout. An article in Psychology Today said that compassion fatigue is often seen in people whose profession consistently demands to show empathy and care towards others (4). Humanitarian and social workers often share the burden or trauma of those they are helping. Often, they feel guilty when they cannot give the same level of empathy toward the victims or survivors of humanitarian crises. My previous colleague in an NGO I volunteered at said that helping others elicits a deep sense of meaning beyond oneself. Unfortunately, it also entails consistent demand to show empathy that blurs the boundary between taking care of others and oneself. One study shows that more than 35% of long-term humanitarian workers reported a deterioration in their personal and mental health during the mission. The percentage might be even higher considering the simultaneous ongoing global humanitarian crises.
An Oxygen Mask
Fortunately, most humanitarian organizations have standing guidelines for HAW’s pre-boarding and debriefing during and after mission. Some organizations emphasize the importance of assessing their physical and mental strength to work in a stressful environment. These procedures, however, are ideal but are not all mandatory (5). Although HAW is equipped with the knowledge and tools in crisis management, no one is a hundred per cent prepared for a crisis. During my short stint as a humanitarian intern, I am glad that the organization and managers were always looking out for staff and volunteers who might be physically exhausted or mentally drained. A simple way is to check each other out during regular meetings or create a specific agenda for encouraging each other to share if the load is too much. Health workers in the religious parts of Africa and Asia draw strength from praying before they start their day and support each other. Global health and safety guidelines for HAWs are pertinent in protecting and caring for those deployed in a mission. Many might not realize that humanitarian workers also include locally sourced volunteers and professionals by local organizations. Local humanitarian workers rely on government and international organizations for funding and might not have standing safety guidelines or resources to provide for their staff. They are also the ones who are in direct contact with the victims and are often exposed to danger in areas of conflict.
The overwhelming support to the vulnerable and affected populations by global humanitarian crises is inspiring. While we continue to support the global humanitarian response, perhaps, it is also time to release the oxygen masks for our heroes who are currently struggling to breathe. We must ensure that they, regardless of position and geographic location, have secured their oxygen masks before helping those who cannot. Otherwise, our honored heroes might eventually become casualties themselves.
Leave a comment