Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Programme launched

Tribune News Service

Nawanshahr, May 17

Heading a step forward in line with State Government’s drug-free Punjab, Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Program was launched in SBS Nagar on Thursday. Under this Program, an OOAT clinic has been set up in Old Hospital Nawanshahr by DC Amit Kumar and Sub-division hospital Balachaur by MLA Darshan Lal Mangupur.

Divulging the above details, acting Civil Surgeon, Dr Dyal Sarup said here on Thursday that both the clinics had trained medical staff to treat the heroine and opium addicts on daily basis.

“The record of the patient would be kept confidential with a unique identification number so that they may contact any of the centres across the state,” he said. Apart from that, counselling would also be provided to the addicts to sensitise them of the draw backs of the addiction.”

Dr Ravinder Thakur, SMO, Balachaur added that these centers would be kept open from 9 am to 1 pm in working days while from 10 am to 1 pm on Sundays and holidays. It would be mandatory to take oral treatment in the presence of the trained doctors and on would have to stay there for an hour after intake of medicine.

DC Amit Kumar said each center would have a staff of two trained doctors, a staff nurse (male) and a counsellor. MLA Darshan Lal said these centers woul prove to be helpful for those who needed treatment for de-addiction along with DAPO campaign.

OOAT centres launched at Kapurthala, Nawanshar

Jalandhar: Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Program was launched in districts here on Thursday. OOAT centres were set up at Nawanshahr and Kapurthala with an aim to get those hooked on to opioids in the state off them.

At Kapurthala, under the programme, an OOAT clinic was set up at the drug rehabilitation centre at the Circular Road Mohabbat Nagar, Kapurthala. DC Mohammed Tayyab and Civil Surgeon Dr Balwant Singh launched the programme. The nodal officer of the programme Dr Sandeep Bhola said the free programme had been launched for those hooked onto Opioids (opium and its products).

The patients will have to come to the centres daily and along with medicines, counselling sessions for patients shall also be held. Dr Bola said the ultimate aim of the programme was to merge former addicts with the mainstream and help them rid of the habit altogether. He said the treatment under these centres shall be held for a year.

An OOAT clinic was set up at the old hospital by DC Amit Kumar and sub-division hospital Balachaur by MLA Darshan Lal Mangupur. Divulging the above details, acting Civil Surgeon, Dr Dyal Sarup said here that both the clinics had trained medical staff to treat the heroine and opium addicts on a daily basis dose.

They said the records of the patients would be kept confidential with a unique identification number so that they may contact any of the centres across the state.