Punjab switches to biometrics at rehab clinics to check pilferage of anti-addiction medicines

To check pilferage of medicines and maintain a record of the number of patients seeking treatment for drug addiction, the Punjab Government has decided to install a two-layered biometric system at the 706 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics in the state.

Nearly 10 lakh patients take prescribed doses of buprenorphine tablets from doctors at the 529 government and 177 private OOAT clinics to stay away from drugs. The dose of tablets, which are supplied only by the government, is decreased gradually depending on the recovery of the patient. However, it has been observed that a number of patients get addicted to these tablets.

In 2019-20, owing to addiction to the tablets, nearly five crore tablets of buprenorphine were pilfered and diverted by some private clinics, leading to the cancellation of the licence of 23 big defaulters.

A Vigilance inquiry was held. Neha Shoree, a young officer with the Food and Drug Administration, was allegedly murdered in March 2019 as she had flagged the pilferage of the tablets.

Sources said installing the biometric system to maintain a digital record of patients seemed to be the best way to ensure that genuine patients got the medicines.

The digitisation would also help document the number of patients seeking treatment for drug addiction in the state.

The recording under the biometric system would take place at two levels. When the patient visits the clinic, his fingerprint would be taken to access his file and record his entry. The next biometric would be taken when a doctor or pharmacist administers the dose to the patient.

The sources said the biometric registration would be done with the help of the Aadhaar card of the patient. The two-layered system would ensure a double check. Officials said in the past, some cases of impersonation and fake entries were observed.

The trial run of the biometric system is underway and it will be launched soon. This will be part of the fresh war against drugs declared by the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in the state.