Padang hosts regional disaster mitigation seminar amid calls for mental health integration

In Padang, Indonesia, the city government is hosting a disaster seminar for 24 delegations from the APEKSI Regional Commission I. Mayor Fadly Amran emphasized the need for cross-regional collaboration to strengthen civil defense systems and manage increasing geological and hydrometeorological disaster risks across Sumatra.

Parallel to physical disaster management, there is a growing call to integrate mental health into environmental policies. Climate-related events such as forest fires, extreme heatwaves, and floods are increasingly recognized as factors that disrupt social stability and psychological well-being. Experts note that while environmental stability is crucial for mental health, these two issues are often addressed separately in policy, leaving vulnerable groups like children and adolescents at higher risk of cognitive and psychological disturbances.