In 2 years, only 70 register at govt rehab centre for women

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Kapurthala, June 2

As per estimates, of 10,000 women drug users in the state, merely 70 have registered at the Navkiran Kendra, the state’s sole government-run rehabilitation centre for women at Kapurthala, to date.

While the Centre along with India HIV/AIDS Alliance, an NGO, recently started a project, national consultation for harm reduction among women drug users, to address the problem, experts say the stigma regarding the issue remains the prime challenge in the state.

Compared to women rehabilitation centre at Kapurthala started in July 2017, which has merely 70 registrations, Navjeevan Kendra, the de-addiction centre for men started in 2007, has over 10,000 registries. In total, 1 per cent of the drug using population of the state comprise women (of whom, a few report for treatment).

Kunal Kishore, Associate Director, India HIV/AIDS Alliance, said: “While some states have special systems and watchdogs in place, the mechanism needs to be developed in Punjab. A new human rights-based approach is required to alleviate the situation. ”

Dr Sandeep Bhola, consultant psychiatrist who heads Navjeevan Kendra, said, “There are over 10,000 women drug users in the state. Our rehabilitation centre for women has nine facilities under one roof, provided by women employees. It’s a boon for women across the state, still they are wary of coming out for treatment. To address this issue, we have hired drug survivors as outreach workers to motivate others.”