Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh today announced that the state government will establish an ‘addict treatment facility’ (ATF) to provide immediate treatment, detoxification and counselling for drug users picked up off the street.
Speaking after a high-level meeting held to review the status of the ongoing DREAM (Drug Reduction Elimination and Action Mission) project, Lyngdoh said that the lack of immediate facilities for addicts has been a long-standing concern.
“The focal point of today’s meeting was to ensure that addicts picked up from various parts of the city are provided with immediate care. Currently, there is no dedicated facility to address their needs. As discussed in the last meeting of the DREAM project, we will now push forward with the creation of what we call the ATF – addict treatment facility,” Lyngdoh said.
According to the minister, the ATF will be equipped with trained psychiatrists, adequate bed and accommodation facilities and dedicated counselling services.
“The idea is that once addicts complete treatment, detoxification and counselling, they should be fit to rejoin mainstream society,” he said.
Lyngdoh also revealed that all essential infrastructure is in place and the state government will only need to supplement the existing facility with necessary manpower and resources. “A team led by the Mission Director of DREAM will visit the facility within the next two days to assess ground-level preparedness and report back,” he said.
Highlighting the growing scale of the issue, Lyngdoh admitted that drug abuse spans all age groups, including pre-teens, teenagers and adults. “This is a major challenge, as we are witnessing not only the use but also the sale of narcotics among these groups,” he stated.
On the funding front, Lyngdoh assured there is no shortage. “Funds are already available under DREAM and through the Union Ministry of Social Justice. Additionally, the Health Department is contributing to our efforts,” he added.
The minister informed that five recently-graduated psychiatrists are available and will be deployed immediately at the facility. “The DREAM Mission Director has also interacted with the Kerala government and several trained psychiatrists and counsellors from there have shown willingness to partner with us,” he said.
The initiative will be rolled out in phases, with the first phase estimated to cost between Rs 50 to Rs 70 lakh.
