Social Welfare Minister, Kyrmen Shylla unveiled the foundation stone of the Kripa Foundation De-Addiction Centre for Juveniles at Mawkasiang, Mawdiangdiang, New Shillong.
The centre will be run by KRIPA Foundation through PPP mode with the Social Welfare Department.
The first youth de-addiction centre in Meghalaya and the North East, Kripa Foundation De-Addiction Centre for Juveniles aims to reach out to children and adolescents in the community for early childhood intervention and risks, such as aggressive behaviour, which can be changed with professional interventions that focus on helping children develop appropriate, positive behaviours and re-integrate them back in the society as productive and efficient citizens.
Shylla said there is a need for more NGO’s working for the cause of de-addiction in the State, particularly in the Districts where there are no facilities for counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of substance and drug users. Terming the setting up of the De-addiction Centre as a landmark achievement, he informed that KRIPA foundation has tied up with Supercare Hospital for detoxification and as such those seeking treatment will no longer need to go out of the State and further added that with the support of the Social Welfare Department the facilities availed through the De-addiction Centre will be free of cost.
He also stressed on the importance of public and society’s cooperation, family support, intervention by educators, law enforcers, service providers etc in addressing the menace of drug addiction and also urged the youth to abstain from using drugs and other intoxicating substances.
IEC materials under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan were also released by Shylla.
As part of the programme a workshop on Substance Abuse was also held where Fr. Joe Pereira, Founder Trustee, Kripa Foundation spoke on the importance of unconditional love and support in breaking societal taboo of addiction and Dr. Chayanika Sarma, Psychiatrist and De-Addiction Expert spoke on the procedures on how to handle youth addicts.
