3 years data shows decrease in registration of new drug addiction cases: Govt

Posted by admin_kas on 2025-03-23 21:12:05 |

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Muhammad Adnan

Srinagar, March 23: The three years government data has shown a decrease in the registration of the new drug addiction cases in Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the official documents, the J&K witnessed increase of drug addiction among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the number has drastically gone down from the last three years, the government data has revealed.

"It is a fact that earlier there was increase of drug addiction among the youth of J&K. But after the initiation of Nasha Mukt Abhiyan Since September 2022, and as per available record, the registration of new cases has shown a slight-decreasing trend," the minister for Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Sakina Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly during the ongoing budget session in the House.

The minister said that the records have revealed that there has been no observed increase in newly registered drug addiction cases in Jammu and Kashmir.

"A comparison of three years data shows that there has been no rise in number of registered cases," the minister while referring to official records, informed the House.

The minister attributed the decrease in the registration of cases to certain measures taken by the government which include adoption of Drug De-addiction policy, constitution of State Level Policy implementation Monitoring Committee, massive campaign under Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiya, Standard operating Procedure, Divisional Level De-addiction Centre Monitoring Committee, District Level Monitoring Committees for effective monitoring & functioning of Drug De-addiction centres.

The minister said that currently 20 Addiction Treatment facilities (ATFs)- 11 in Kashmir and nine in Jammu were functional.

"OPD services are functional in all 20 districts, while IPD services are available in all nine Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), catering to both male and female patients," the minister said.

She said that psychiatrist were available in all the GMCs of J&K as well.

"25 Medical Officers- 12 from Jammu and 13 from Kashmir were trained by NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and deputed to their respective districts to strengthen de-addiction centers," she said.

She said that strengthening surveillance and data collection on daily basis by Google sheets for real time reporting to monitor trends and measure the impact of interventions was being done by the government.

"The Health Department has established close collaboration with Social Welfare and Ayush Departments to tackle the issue of substance abuse. In order to facilitate drug victims to seek treatment, the Government has established a call center known as Tele Manas,"  she informed the House.