Set up to give healthy life by bringing drug-addicts in mainstream, the Punjab Government's OOAT (Out-patient Opioid Assisted Treatment) clinics are proving effective tools for drug-addicts to be willing for detoxification.In three OOAT clinics at Sub-division level in district Mansa; District Drug De-addiction & Rehabilitation Center, Thuthianwali Road Mansa, Sub-Divisional Hospital, Sardulgarh and Sub Divisional Hospital Budhlada, 1838 patients, wishing to give up drugs, have been registered so far. Apart from this, four more OOAT clinics at the community level will be functional soon.Divulging further, Dr. Lal Chand Thakral, Civil Surgeon, Mansa said that patients coming to these OOAT clinics are given unique identification numbers, which are linked to the Aadhar Card. Under OOAT project, patients are registered online so that the officers can monitor every single dose of the medicine given to the patient and to ensure the prohibition of misuse or resale of the drug."These OOAT clinics are proven to be effective to bring those drug-addicts into the main stream, who were taking drug through injection, long-term drug-addicts or unable to quit the drugs", he said adding that such patients are given medicine before the staff on daily basis and quantity of the medicine depends upon the drug consumed by the person concerned. He categorically said that this medicine is not given to take home. Civil Surgeon said that if the patient has gone to any part of the state, he can visit the nearby OOAT clinic and take medicine after showing his identification.Giving further details, he said that patients came to quit drugs, are given treatment through OPD or IPD according to the type and quantity of drug. "OOAT clinics are purely OPD based and people only with severe problem to be admitted in indoor facilities", he said adding that patient is provided with the necessary medicines and gradually the medicines are reduced and the patient is referred to the drug de-addiction and rehabilitation center.He said that youngsters taking medicines from the OOAT clinics have refrained from drugs and they have now gradually come back into mainstream. Hence they are feeling healthy. Dr. Thakral appealed to the people to get the benefit of these clinics to get rid of their beloved ones from the menace of drugs.
Staff Trained For New Ooat Clinics At Amritsar
Four new OAAT clinics at Community Health Center level will very soon be functional at Community Health Center, Khiala Kalan, Bhikhi, Baretta and Jhunir. The state government has imparted necessary training to the staff to be deployed in these centers at AmritsarIt is pertinent to mention here that in recent meeting of District Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Society, its Chairperson-cum- Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait gave necessary approvals for these centers. With these new centers, total number of OOAT clinics will be seven in the district.
'New Dawn Of Life For Youngsters'
Youngsters coming to get treatment in these OOAT clinics said that after taking medicines from these centers they are now feeling happy. They said that due to expensive drugs, where on one side they were embarrassing their family, on the other hand they were living a life of hell too, now after treatment, they have started enjoying life.