Just 10 beds, Fazilka de-addiction centre struggles to handle rush

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, July 29

The local 10-bed de-addiction centre set up adjacent to the District Hospital has witnessed a sudden spurt in the arrival of patients after the launch of the anti-drug drive, but a large number of patients here are returning without getting treatment due to the lack of facilities.

Sources said the centre had failed to cater to the needs of the increasing number of patients.

They said out of 10 beds, one was kept in the reserved isolation room and another was kept in the room where dope tests were conducted, adding that the remaining eight beds were not sufficient to accommodate the increasing number of patients.

“Since all patients could not be admitted, they are given medicines for five days in the OPD,” said psychiatrist Dr Mahesh Kumar.

“The government should have set up an additional ward for admitting more patients,” said Pargat Singh of Mahalam village. “Most of general wards have been lying vacant in the district hospital for the want of specialist doctors that can be converted into de-addiction ward,” said an employee of the hospital.

The shortage of psychiatrists in the district has aggravated the problem. Dr Mahesh Kumar, who is posted in the Abohar Civil Hospital, visits the Fazilka de-addiction centre only twice a week.