* Anantnag, Baramulla, Kathua GMCs to get facility soon
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 18: Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo today asked for proper regulation of private de-addiction centres operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at the maiden meeting of Divisional Level De-Addiction Centre Monitoring Committee, he said that any drug de-addiction centre operating illegally should be immediately shut down. He directed the authorities to work out a scheme for mapping such private facilities to ensure that no such centre operates without necessary permission and regulations.
The FC also said that drug de-addiction services would also be made available in the new Medical Colleges of Anantnag, Baramulla and Kathua from January. He also emphasized on strengthening of counselling arrangements at the district level.
The meeting was attended by Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Renu Sharma; Project Director J&K State AIDS Control and Prevention Society, Jammu, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather; Controller, Drug & Food Control Organization, Jammu, Lotika Khajuria; Joint Director Planning HME, Madan Lal and other officials from health and police department. Kashmir division based officers attended the meeting through video conferencing.
Earlier, officials gave a background note on the functioning of Drug De-addiction Centres under the existing norms, along with the areas of concern.
The Committee asked the competent authority to ask the private drug de-addiction centres to submit the requisite documents for registration or else they will be shut down. These centres have to be established under Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act.
The FC directed the officers to frame a plan for improving the drug de-addiction services and check whether all the centres are following the set norms and have all the requisite facilities available. He underlined the need for assessing whether the activity with regard to the treatment and rehabilitation of inmates in these centres take place within the legal framework.
With regard to the drug de-addiction centres run by the Police Department, the meeting decided to give the department two month time for overcoming the deficiencies and making a full time psychiatrist available at each centre.
It was also decided in the meeting that some drug de-addiction centres will be integrated with the nearby Medical Colleges for better treatment facilities.
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