THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj Jan 28: There is a sharp increase in the footfall of opioid patients in the mental health centre in the MMCH Daltonganj.
Rise in heroin use among youth
The medical officer in charge of this centre Dr Ashish Kumar told the Jharkhand Story correspondent “There is a significant rise in the numbers of opioid patients here in this centre. It’s around 15 a month on average. It’s on the upper side.”
“The use of heroin is catching up with the youngsters. It’s coming in powder form. A sachet of heroin is stated to be sold for rupees 500 or 1000 rupees depending on the weight of the substance,” added Dr Ashish Kumar.
He also said that opioids come in various forms, including alcohol, cannabis, and the more dangerous heroin. Daltonganj town has around half a dozen rendezvous where heroin is sold and bought most clandestinely.
Dr Ashish Kumar said, “Substance abuse is varied. It’s from pain killer tablets to sedative cough syrups.”
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“Recently I had a patient of Chhattisgarh here who was on a substitute pain killer medication all for his sedation,” informed Dr Ashish Kumar.
Lack of treatment facilities for addicts
There are no indoor treatment facilities available in the MMCH for the drug addicts. It’s all outpatient department.
As there is no indoor treatment facility for the drug addict, so there is no detoxification centre here.
Dr Ashish Kumar said, “There is a serious human resource crunch in the mental health centre here. Detoxification is a very delicate process. Severe withdrawal symptoms erupt which at times may become life-threatening.”
Preventing relapse is a major task as the quicker the rehabilitation, the lesser the dread of the relapse, opined the medical officer in charge of the mental health centre.
“Psychiatric illnesses are shooting up. The family keeps tongue-tied when there is any psychiatric episode. Stigma about mental health comes in the way of the families approaching the mental doctors,” stated Dr Ashish Kumar.
