Pvt psychiatrists to be part of war on drugs

Taking another decisive step in the fight against drug addiction under the Yudh Nasheyan Virudh (War Against Drugs) campaign, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Sunday announced a partnership with private psychiatrists to provide specialised treatment for drug-affected youth.

The Association of Psychiatrists (AOP), in collaboration with the Punjab Government, organised an event titled “Saanjhi Raah” (Common Path) at Pal Auditorium, PAU, today. The event was part of the ongoing “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” (War Against Drugs) campaign led by the state government and served as a collaborative meet between state government officials and psychiatrists from across Punjab.

Dr Singh revealed that, under this initiative, private psychiatrists will devote two hours daily to treatment at nursing institutes where the government has already arranged 2,000 beds for drug rehabilitation. For their services, psychiatrists will be compensated at Rs 1,500 per hour, ensuring expert mental health care is accessible to those battling addiction. He further announced that psychiatrists will also be assigned to every jail in the state to offer treatment to addicted inmates.

In a parallel move to uphold ethical standards in healthcare, Dr Balbir Singh ordered the immediate suspension of a doctor at Ludhiana Civil Hospital after a video emerged showing the doctor accepting money from a patient’s family. A departmental inquiry has been launched to investigate the matter.