Srinagar: Faced with alarming drug addiction among youth, the Jammu and Kashmir government will be opening drug rehabilitation centres in every district to combat the menace now.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Health and Education Sakina Itoo told ETV Bharat in an interview that they are readying to open rehabilitation facilities in every district and sub-district hospital to fight the rising addiction.
"Drug abuse is alarming and our party along with experts have prepared a report on it," Itoo said.
"We will ensure that a drug rehabilitation facility in the district and sub-district opens. I am writing to Deputy Commissioners and Chief Medical Officers to set up such facilities," Itoo said.
The experts have highlighted the alarming drug abuse in the Valley with the number of heroin addicts rising. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in its last report suggested that Jammu and Kashmir have over 10 lakh drug abusers with heroin being the drug of choice for a significant portion of users.
A study carried out by the Government Psychiatric Hospital in Kashmir in 2023 revealed that 52 per cent of substance abusers were injecting heroin with many turning to the drug due to its easy availability.
The ruling National Conference in its manifesto has promised to implement its own WADA (War Against Drug Abuse) report formed in consultation with experts to curb the drug menace.
"The lack of opportunities for young people leads to frustration. We will try to find the main cause behind the drug addiction among youth," Itoo, who is the lone woman in the Omar Abdullah-led government.
Besides, the health minister Itoo highlighted the key "failures" including the lack of infrastructure and doctors in hospitals saying they are studying the Delhi Model to be adopted in Jammu and Kashmir.
"There is a lack of paramedics and a testing facility is not available here. I can't explain the situation of district hospitals. Only four doctors are available against 20 and against 15 paramedics, there are only 2," she added.
The minister revealed that "influential" doctors have been attached to offices causing people to suffer in hospitals as there is a lack of doctors in hospitals.
Itoo highlighted that the patients have to wait for five months to get appointments for surgeries while beds are unavailable. “It takes two months for critical patients to get appointments for tests," she added.
"They might have worked (in the last five years) but there is no improvement. We are examining Delhi models (like community health centres and clinics). There are almost eight people occupying one bed in hospitals. The situation is quite bad even as we have good doctors here," Itoo told ETV Bharat.
The government, according to her, will fill the vacancies at all levels in the health department and will hire retired doctors if the need arises.
