JAMMU, Mar 5: The Minister for Health, Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo, emphasized the seriousness of drug abuse, highlighting the urgent need for collaborative efforts to eliminate this societal issue affecting Jammu and Kashmir.
She made these statements while responding to a starred question from MLA Mubarak Gul in the Legislative Assembly today.
The Minister provided information on the treatment and rehabilitation options available, noting that there are 11 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) operating in the Kashmir division and 9 in the Jammu division. Additionally, she mentioned that outpatient (OPD) services are available across all 20 districts, while inpatient (IPD) services are offered in all 9 Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), addressing the healthcare needs of both male and female patients. Psychiatrists, she added, are present in every GMC across J&K.
Touching upon the government’s training and monitoring initiatives, the Minister revealed that 25 Medical Officers (12 from Jammu and 13 from Kashmir) have been trained by NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and assigned to their respective districts to enhance treatment services at de-addiction centres. She also stated that surveillance efforts have been bolstered through daily data collection utilizing Google Sheets for real-time reporting to track trends and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
The Minister informed the assembly that since the launch of the Nasha Mukht Abhiyan in September 2022, there has been a noticeable decrease in the registration of new cases, suggesting some progress in managing and identifying affected individuals. She also mentioned that various policy initiatives have been implemented, such as the adoption of a Drug De-Addiction Policy, the establishment of State-Level Policy Implementation Monitoring, alongside Divisional and District-Level Drug De-addiction and Monitoring Committees to combat drug addiction and trafficking in J&K.
Furthermore, the Minister noted the establishment of a dedicated call center, Tele MANAS, to assist drug victims seeking treatment.
On awareness initiatives, she reported that IEC activities, seminars, workshops, and programs are being frequently conducted in schools, colleges, and universities, in collaboration with district administrations, NGOs, volunteers, and other associated organizations regarding the dangers of drug and substance abuse.
In collaboration with J&K Bank, the Health Department launched the “Najaath” project focused on drug abuse prevention and treatment in Jammu and Pulwama districts in November 2023. She explained that Najaath aims to educate individuals, families, and communities about the detrimental effects of tobacco and drug addiction as well as the resources available for prevention, treatment, and support.
Legislators Mubarak Gul, Yudhvir Sethi, Arvind Gupta, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi raised additional questions regarding the matter.
