THE SOCIAL Welfare Services yesterday confirmed it had undertaken to provide financial and emotional support to the families of victims of last month’s ‘Evangelos Florakis’ blast.
The principal officer of the Services’ Public Assistance Sector, Eftychios Hadjichristodoulou, said social workers were in the process of drawing up reports regarding each family unit including their different, individual needs.
He said the families of the 13 men who were killed on July 11 had received assistance from day one and were continuing to receive support. The family members included parents, wives and children, Hadjichristodoulou said.
“Some [of the men killed] looked after their elderly parents for example, or had wives and children, and they need help. There are also others [family members] who are parents of the [younger] victims and need support,” he said.
Hadjichristodoulou explained that family members’ needs were evaluated and that they then received guidance, support, help and financial aid where necessary.
For example he said some elderly parents had relied heavily on their sons and said arrangements were being made to see that those needs were being met, whether those involved their care or economic aid. Other means of help available for instance included offering practical services such as arranging for the transportation of a victim’s children in the event that his wife was struggling to cope, he said.
Hadjichristodoulou said social workers had already visited all family members and continued to keep in contact with them. He said the Social Welfare Services had undertaken to co-ordinate the provision of financial and emotional support to the families who spanned the districts of Limassol, Larnaca and Nicosia.
“In the first few days there was no mention of a need for financial support, but now there are financial requirements that have arisen and support is being given where needed,” he said.
A number of applications had already been submitted for widows’ pensions and would be processed immediately, he added.
Social workers had also received instructions to provide emotional support and where necessary to refer family members to the Health Ministry’s mental health services for grievance counselling.
“The family members are evaluated and then they are recommended for different services and means of support accordingly,” he said.
The Health Ministry yesterday confirmed the families had been given access to bereavement experts and that the matter was under the supervision of a paediatric psychiatrist who was not, however available for comment.
Meanwhile Cypriot tycoon Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has launched a campaign to collect donations for the victims’ families. The bank account details were received yesterday.
Donations can be made at Marfin Popular Bank: Account name Stelios Philanthropic Foundation; Account number 15811040243; IBAN CY85003001580000015811040243; SWIFT LIKICY2N
