Not forgetting severe mental disorders in humanitarian emergencies: a descriptive study from the Philippines.

Background: Severe mental disorders are often neglected following a disaster. Based on Médecins Sans Frontières' (MSF) experience of providing mental health (MH) care after the 2013 typhoon in the Philippines, we describe the monthly volume of MH activities and beneficiaries; characteristics of people seeking MH care; profile and outcomes of people with severe mental disorders; prescription of psychotropic medication; and factors facilitating the identification and management of individuals with severe mental disorders.

Methods: A retrospective review of programme data was carried out.

[Contributions of the thought of Didier Fassin to a critical analysis of healthcare policies for vulnerable population groups].

This is a reflection on the contributions made over the last 14 years by Didier Fassin, in his analysis of issues raised by the phenomenon of migration in contemporary times, especially in France. He regards it as fundamental to comprehend the political uses behind the advent of 'humanitarian reason' and the 'empire of trauma', which underpin society today, in order to understand the suffering caused by large and small crises and the way social forces related to them act. Drawing on Foucault's concepts of biopolitics and biopower, Fassin makes a critical appraisal of the aid and assistance provided for society's 'unwanted' and their lifestyles, marked by social inclusion and exclusion via the body and trauma.