The Siaya burial saga,is it a cause of Moral Injury?

Published: April 49, 2020

Much has been said on the above emotions running wild some for others against. My major concern is could this cause Moral Injury (MI) to the family, friends and the community as a whole? Moral injury is defined as the psychological distress which results from actions, or the lack of them, which violate your moral or ethical code (Dr. Nathan Smith 2020). Potentially morally injurious experiences (PMIEs) include ‘perpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations’

Due to the manner in which the burial took place, the family and the community at large may be at increased risk of exposure to such MI’s. Exposure to MI can cause strong mora or m emotions Moral distress which may lead to distress and further psychological difficulties. The family members are at a risk of developing mental disorders if not handled well. Kindly note that MI is not a mental illness but can contribute to other mental disorders, such as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or depression. Those who experience MI may have extreme negative appraisals which seem to contribute towards and maintain distress which may lead to the mental disorders.

As much as we condemn this, this brings to the fore the fact that we need to demand for things to be done differently:
· There is need to treat Covid 19 patients with empathy to avoid stigma that would make people not come forward and get tested,
· There should be psychosocial support for care givers, the patients and families,
· There is still a lot of myths about this disease and there is need for more information,
· The boundaries especially the lock down areas should be properly guarded,
· Last but not least, let us love one another and not be the vessels that spread the disease.

#washhandsand sanitize
#Wearfacemask
#STAYHOME