De-addiction OPD services functional in all J&K districts

Srinagar, Apr 10: The Health and Medical Education Department has informed the Jammu and Kashmir government that de-addiction OPD services are functional in all 20 districts, while IPD services are available in all 09 GMCs, catering to both male and female patients.
The information was provided in the Legislative Assembly in response to an unstarred question by MLA Pawan Kumar Gupta on the current utilization rate of de-addiction centers in J&K and steps taken to establish more centers in underserved areas.
The department said that psychiatrists are available in all the GMCs of UT of J&K. From 2022 to 2024, patient data indicates a steady increase in access to de-addiction services across Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2022, 9,775 patients accessed OPD services and 306 were admitted under IPD care. In 2023, OPD visits slightly declined to 8,700, while IPD admissions rose to 586.
By 2024, OPD numbers stood at 6,925, with a further increase in IPD admissions to 703. Cumulatively, a total of 25,400 individuals benefited from OPD services and 1,595 from IPD care during this three-year period.
The department informed that at present, drug de-addiction centers are functional at district headquarters. However, OPD services for fixed days and will be extended in a phased manner in the block headquarters also.
The reply said govt. through Health Department has established close collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare to combat substance abuse effectively.
A detailed proposal for developing IPD facilities in de-addiction centers in Ramban, Reasi & Udhampur districts was submitted by HME Department to Social Welfare Department and same was forwarded to Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI.
The response said that the establishment of an Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) in district Reasi is under process.
The department has informed that to eradicate drug menace from J&K, the formulation of the teaching curriculum on ill effects of drug addiction needs to be undertaken by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy, relevance, and effectiveness.
“Once developed, the curriculum will be systematically incorporated into the school education program. This will create awareness among students about the harmful consequences of drug abuse, fostering informed decision-making and promoting a drug-free environment within educational institutions,” the reply said.
In reply to a query on steps taken to involve local communities in anti-drug campaigns, it said Project Najaath, an initiative dedicated to the Prevention and Treatment of Tobacco and Drug Addiction, was successfully launched on November 10, 2023 covering Jammu and Pulwama districts in collaboration with J&K Bank.
The H&ME said the government has established a robust mechanism to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of drug prevention and rehabilitation programs in J&K.
The de-addiction and rehabilitation mechanism includes State and District Level Monitoring Committees that regularly review implementation and ensure proper functioning of centers as per guidelines, while OPD and IPD data is tracked in real-time using Google Sheets for effective monitoring.