Treatment charges keep addicts away from rehabilitation centres

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, May 20

Health authorities are witnessing a sharp decline in number of patients coming to the de-addiction and rehabilitation centres and that too when neighbouring state Rajasthan has imposed a ban on the sale of poppy husk from April 1. The reason: The Health Department charges Rs 200 per day per patient.

When the state government was providing treatment free of cost about two years ago, the de-addiction and rehabilitation centres were running successfully. But the day the charges of Rs 200 per day were imposed, the number of patients fell sharply.

The 50-bed rehabilitation centre at Thehri village on average has just one admitted patient. The 10-bed de-addiction centre at the Civil Hospital Badal most of the times remains unoccupied. Further, the 10-bed de-addiction centre in Civil Hospital Malout has an average of only 4-5 patients.

Dr Rashmi Chawla, psychiatrist, who looks after the de-addiction centre at Malout and the rehabilitation centre at Thehri village, said, “Earlier, the patients were coming in large numbers when the treatment was free. But the day the government fixed charges of Rs 200 per day, the number of patients decreased sharply. Now, only motivated patients come to these centres.”

She said that the rehabilitation centre at Thehri village had so far got just 10 patients since its inauguration in January.

Meanwhile, Dr Rahul Jindal, psychiatrist, civil hospital at Badal village, said, “Most of the addicts, usually poor people, who used to consume poppy husk, have now switched to sedative drugs. They often tell us that the drugs are easily available in Haryana and Rajasthan, not far from here. Even these drugs cost lesser than the treatment charges.

“Despite the ban, the addicts who still consume poppy husk are getting their daily dose under Rs 100. Why will they come to us and pay Rs 200 for de-addiction?”

Dr Gurjant Singh Sekhon, a social activist from Malout, said, “We all know that drugs usage has become rampant, especially among youngsters and the state government is making tall claims about successfully running a campaign against drugs.”

Courtesy: The Tribune