‘Concerned already directed to regulate fee at rehabilitation centres’
Srinagar : Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo Tuesday said that all Drug De-addiction centres are fully functional in J&K and directed for fee regulation at all centres for affordable rehabilitation of victims. The Minister made these remarks while replying to a question of Legislator, Surjeet Singh Salathia on Drug Addiction, in Legislative Assembly Tuesday.
She highlighted that the Health and Education departments along-with law enforcement agencies are playing an active role to fight the menace of drug abuse in society. She added that strict instructions have been issued to head of all educational institutions (colleges and schools) to install CCTVs in and around their campuses to check any kind of irregular activities.
The Minister also lauded the role of NGOs in dealing with this alarming situation across J&K, adding that their support is must for combating this social evil.
While giving reply to the question, the Minister said that 166 drug abuse cases have been reported in district Samba from the date of establishment of de-addiction centre at District Hospital Samba, with 114 Alcoholic and 62 Heroin & Cannabis affected, while as six patients have recovered till date. She added that the Government is taking concrete steps to curb this menace in the UT of J&K in general and Samba district in particular, like awareness Lectures and Educational Activities, Establishment of De-addiction Centre, Outreach Programs in Educational Institutions and Communities, Panchayat-Level Awareness Activities, Door-to-Door Survey and Identification as well as Camps in Hotspot Areas where a roster has been constituted for the organization of awareness and treatment camps in hotspot and other vulnerable areas. She added that these camps are led by psychiatrists and counsellors to provide both preventive education and initial treatment support.
The Minister also informed that Addiction Treatment Facility has been fully established at District Hospital, Samba since February 2024 sponsored by NDDTC (AIIMS New Delhi) under MOSIE, presently working on OPD basis with services like OPD by Psychiatrist, Counselling Services and Substance Substitute therapy.
While commenting on the subject, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather advised the Minister to take suggestions from a scientific document prepared by political representatives of a party, as it outlines effective and detailed measures for combating this social evil.
The Minister informed the house that Government has already started working on this report, besides the topics related to Drug Addiction have already been made part of the curriculum.
Legislators, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi; Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani; Muzaffar Iqbal Khan; Pawan Gupta; Tanvir Ali Sadiq; Narinder Singh; Dr. Rameshwar Singh; Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri; Balwant Singh Mankotia, raised supplementary questions on the subject.
