Punjab identifies 60,000 new drug addicts in one month of Covid-19 lockdown

Over 60,000 new drug-addicts have been registered with the Punjab de-addiction programme in just one month of the lockdown.

Also, now the opening time of the ‘out patient opioid assisted treatment’ (OOAT) clinics has been set at 8 a.m, keeping in view the increasing number of drug-addicts. Special attention is being paid to drug de-addiction programme on the directives of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

According to health ministry figures, 4.14 lakh addicts were registered with it. These included 1.55 lakh at OOAT centres, 2.15 lakh in de-addiction centres and more than 30,000 in rehabilitation centres before the lockdown.

Health minister appealed social workers and people to follow instructions of the government at this critical time and reach out to the hospitals only when needed.

Also, registered members are given an ID with which they can receive medicines that would help them in the de-addiction process. The health department is giving the medicines which costs around Rs 1,000 to 1,500 per strip, for free.