Malik Jehangir
SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir has become the second state in the country to adopt the drug de-addiction policy. This was stated by Financial Commissioner Health & Medical Education department, Atal Duloo in a function here.
Duloo said that Punjab is the other state that has adopted the drug de-addiction policy adding that the drug de-addiction policy of Jammu & Kashmir has many salient features. He said the different stake holders need to join hands so that the policy is implemented in letter and spirit.
The Financial Commissioner said that State Administrative Council (SAC) gave its nod for the implementation of drug de-addiction policy on January 4 this year. He said that over the past five months or so various milestones have been achieved with respect to implementation of the policy in the state.
Duloo said that the drug de-addiction policy has received appreciation at both the national as well as international levels. He said the policy would be presented by some students of Government Medical College, Srinagar at Royal College of Psychiatry, London next month.
The Financial Commissioner said that the Excise and Taxation department destroyed cannabis on 1700 kanals of land and poppy on 2400 kanals of land has been destroyed over the past five months by the concerned department. He said the drug department has also taken action against hundreds of chemists who were found selling drugs without prescription.
Duloo said the government has successfully conducted workshops for creating awareness about the drug abuse in the state, which he said, has become ‘silent killer’. Last year, the initiative of drug de-addiction policy took shape after Chief Secretary BVR Subramanayam took cognizance of the after media reported extensively about drug abuse, he added.
The policy was reviewed by experts from premier Institutions of AIIMS, PGI, NIMHANS, TISS, Directorate of Health Services, Government of India and also opinions were received from various civil society groups and the public in the state of J&K.
The policy was finalized on December 10, 2018 after incorporation of views and opinions from experts.
Head department Psychiatry Department Dr Maqbool said the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (IMHANS) has successfully treated 12000 patients indulging in substance misuse from across Jammu and Kashmir in its two centers.
“Our de-addiction policy in comparison to other policies has thrust on demand reduction rather harm reduction,” he said. He said the de-addiction policy is based on principles of prevention, integration, community participation and integral sectoral collaboration.
Principal GMC Srinagar, Dr. Kaisar Ahmad described the policy as breath of fresh air deviating from usual trend of medicalizing the whole issue without looking at social, legal and other aspects necessary to tackle the menace of substance.
After the policy was implemented different stake holders Started a multipronged comprehensive fight against the drug abuse, the two centres of the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (IMHANS) has successfully treated 12000 patients indulging in substance misuse from across Jammu and Kashmir.
To create awareness about drug abuse at grassroots and for long lasting education on one of the major challenges facing our society, the experts of the IMHANS have reached to schools and conducted training programs for teachers and awareness workshops for students to decrease school dropout rates and delinquency.
The Social Welfare department has issued instructions for capacity building programmes and provided Grant in Aid to the NGOs working on Drug De-addiction. The social welfare department is constructing two Drug De-addiction Centres at Kulgam and Tral under Centre Sponsored Schemes which are expected to be functional in 2019-20.
The Government Medical College Jammu treated 369 patients for drug dependence and conducted 17 awareness programmes in Jammu region while as the SKIMS held an awareness program for general population and treated 64 patients.