Kashmir needs drug de-addiction policy: Experts

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Kashmir valley needs to have a drug de-addiction policy to curb the menace of growing drug abuse, senior doctors at a workshop said here Saturday.

Senior doctors participating in a 6-day workshop on substance used disorders organized by World Health Organization for Government Medical College, Srinagar stressed that a complete drug de-addiction policy for the State was mandatory as drug abuse was spreading fast.

“We need a complete drug de-addiction policy for the state. Doctors can provide the technical input through department of psychiatry and later efforts can be formalized and put forth before the government for consideration,” the doctors recommended in the concluding session of the workshop.

The WHO’s 6-day workshop aimed at sensitizing doctors about the drug abuse and its prevention concluded today.

The doctors said that the lacunae in the system of drug distribution was a major problem area enhancing the drug abuse according to doctors and also demanded proper scheduling of the drugs to arrest the misuse of ‘prescription drug abuse’.

“A specific guideline detailing about the type of drug a particular doctor can prescribe is very necessary. It will also stop the random prescription its exploitation on a later stage,” said Dr Arshid a senior consultant in department of Psychiatry, who also coordinated the workshop.

The doctors said that the awareness programs regarding the drug abuse were necessary and the schools, colleges and other institutions needed to be made the centre of the awareness programs.

Government Medical College Srinagar is already running a school health education program and the State’s health department too is working in this regard.

However the participants said both the programs need to be properly revived and made active at the district level.

“Small de-addiction centers should come at the district level and the paramedical staff should be made aware in this regard to reach to the grassroots,” the doctors suggested. “The will of the policy makers and advisors is also necessary to make any program a success.”

A senior doctor said: “Cuba has the world’s best de-addiction centers in spite of being one of the worst economies in the world but the political will of the dictator there is proving beneficial for the health care system there.”

The participants also raised apprehensions over some of senior doctors who, they said, many a time mislead bureaucracy and policy makers during the meetings regarding the health scenario in the Valley.

“We have problems within our own fraternity. Some of us turn to be yes men and misinform the higher ups regarding the ground level situation,” said a senior doctor during the session.

The participants suggested that the recommendations made in the workshop be forwarded to Commissioner Secretary Health and followed later.

Earlier senior doctors in the workshop also disclosed the entry of the costliest drug - heroine into Kashmir valley. 

It also disclosed that AIDS had entered the elite school of Valley and a professional college.