Lessons on mental health to be learnt from the Chile mining disaster
By Liz Lockhart
As Chile prepares to celebrate the first anniversary of the rescue of its 33 miners it is disappointing to hear 
the facts about their mental health.
A report on BBC lunchtime news revealed that three of the miners are currently receiving inpatient treatment for mental health disorders and several of the others are so traumatised that they are taking antipsychotic medication.
It is almost a year ago that the world watched in anticipation as the 33 miners were slowly, one by one, rescued after 69 days trapped below ground.
It is saddening to learn that many of the miners are still suffering from trauma and half are unemployed. It is also reported that they are locked in a legal battle with the Chilean state over compensation. One of the miners has returned to his work and several others have become successful motivational speakers.
It is the news that so many are suffering from mental ill-health that sounds alarm bells. It brings to mind the plight of the survivors from the recent Welsh mining disaster where four men died. These men appear to have, for now, escaped from the glare of the media but now it is important that their mental health is not neglected.
Apart from being trapped underground they have to live with the deaths of their work-mates. The mine-manager was critically ill in hospital for a considerable period of time as he fought for his life. The knowledge that some of his colleagues lost their lives will, no doubt, weigh heavily on him.
Lessons can be learnt from the mental health of the Chilean mining survivors. Britain must not neglect the mental health needs of our mining heroes.
Meanwhile a BBC correspondent, Gideon Long, said that a foundation stone will be laid for a monument that is being built to honour the miners in Chile. A mass will be held before the monument is unveiled, but at a similar ceremony in August, some of the miners were pelted with fruit by protesters who accuse the 33 survivors of exploiting their celebrity status and abandoning their fellow workers.
