The Health Ministry has established a counseling hotline for those traumatised by the drowning incident at Huraa last Friday.
Four grade nine students and the principal of Hiriya School drowned during a Fisheries Science snorkeling trip last Friday. Principle Ali Nazim drowned trying to rescue Nash-ath Saeed, Mariyam Naza, Aishath Saniha, and Mariyam Shaiha from a strong current off of Huraa island.
Deputy Health Minister said the Education Ministry requested a free counseling service on the day of the incident, and the hotline became operative on Saturday.
Counselors, administrators and volunteers for the hotline are based at IGMH hospital, where the victims were brought on Friday for examination. Hospital CEO Cathy Waters said, “the hotline is for anybody affected by the incident across the community, especially family, friends, school staff, the teachers on the trip, and IGMH staff who were involved in the case at the hospital.”
Deputy Health Minister Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussein told Minivan News that the hotline has been heavily used since it went into effect. She estimated that over 50 people are involved in the service.
Lubna added that there is no end date for the hotline. “These things need to be settled slowly,” she said.
The hotline is open from 8 am until 10 pm, on 3010005.
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