Ray of hope for drug addicts as footfall rises at OOAT, OST centres

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 31

With over 10,000 patients turning up for treatment, the government Drug De-addiction Centre, Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) and Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) centres were emerging as a ray of hope for drug addicts and their families in the district.

As per the available data, the total OPD patients in the model de-addiction centre and the de-addiction centre in Nurmahal was 482 till this month so far. Likewise, the footfall at OPDs at OOAT centres was 3,456 which included 1,772 at Sheikh, 966 at Nakodar, 342 at Phillaur, 117 at Nurmahal, 252 at Adampur and seven at Kartarpur. Similarly, footfall at OST centres in the district was 1,304 in Jalandhar, 1,644 at Nakodar and 844 in Phillaur. In the same manner, around 2,000 patients were coming to these centres for follow-up.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said surge in drug addicts coming for treatment to these de-addiction, OOAT and OST centres reflect their eagerness to shun the curse, which was ruining the youth of the state.

Sharma pointed out that massive crackdown on drug peddlers by the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in the state coupled with large scale awareness programmes by the state government has brought awakening among people. He said as a result, people were shunning the stigma attached with drug addiction and were freely coming to the centres for treatment of their loved ones.

The DC said it was an encouraging trend but the district administration would continue its efforts till the entire district was made drug-free. These centres were the result of commitment of the state government to wean away this menace from the state through proper treatment and diagnosis of the drug addicts.