The efforts still leave a lot to be desired.The Congress government is providing free treatment to patients through 35 government-run de-addiction centres, 193 outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics, for which around Rs 110 crore has been spent.In addition, 106 private de-addiction centres have been authorised for treating patients. Most of the patients under treatment at de-addiction centres are addicted to opioids.With two years left in Capt government’s tenure, bringing in remaining patients for treatment poses a challenge to the government. The ground situation has improved a lot in three years, he added.The substance abuse treatment programme has been marred by controversies pertaining to private centres, including alleged malpractices. Many private deaddiction centres have mushroomed in recent years, establishing their monopoly in certain areas, which the government has failed to break.They have been facing heat over profiteering and reckless dispensing of buprenorphine, a pharmacological derivative of opium used as de-addiction treatment. He urged that the government should allow psychiatrists to cater to the local de-addiction needs of their areas.

Source: The Local March 15, 2020 08:03 UTC