E-Paper
One million addicts in Punjab drug de-addiction centres: Minister
The health and family planning minister Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday informed the state legislative assembly that there are almost one million drug addicts in state-operated and privately-run de-addiction centers in Punjab, adding that the figures (in public domain) are under reported.
The health and family planning minister Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday informed the state legislative assembly that there are almost one million drug addicts in state-operated and privately-run de-addiction centers in Punjab, adding that the figures (in public domain) are under reported.
He said this while speaking on the menace of drug addiction in the state. The house has fixed two-hours debate on the issue but it was postponed for the upcoming session as according to the Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, the opposition MLAs from the Congress, who had demanded for the discussion were not present. The Congress had staged a walk out protesting against the law-and-order situation in the state.
“There 2.62 lakh addicts in government-run centres and 6.12 lakh addicts in the privately-run centres, but in my opinion the number is much higher,” he said, raising concern over the rate of cure for the addicts which according to him is negligible - 1.5% in case of government run de-addiction centres and 0.04% in privately run centres. In comparison to the rate of cure, government has spent ₹ 102 crore on de-addiction, added Dr Balbir Singh.
Raising concerns over rising addiction in the state, taken as injectables, the minister said that it leads to Hepatitis-B and HIV of which a large number of cases are reported in the state. Addiction has led to rise in crime, he said quoting the data from National Crime Record Bureau.
According to the minister, state government believes in reformative measures and not retributive action against the drug addicts. “ Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has categorically said that those addicted to drugs should not be sent to jail but given treatment. We are planning to set mohalla and village level committees to bring back the addicts in the mainstream,” said the minister,informing that there are 528 out-patient opioids assisted treatment (OOAT) centres and 36 government run de-addiction centres and 185 are privately owned.
