SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma has stressed on the need to open up counseling centres and clinics in the state for enabling youths to effectively handle difficulties and challenges of life.
Conrad K. Sangma who inaugurated the 1st National Conference organised by the Continuing Institute of Nursing Cell, Woodland Institute of Nursing, Shillong in collaboration with St. Anthony’s College, Shillong on the theme “Substance, Suicide and Adolescents: Effects of Substance abuse and Suicide in Adolescents” here on Saturday said that the idea of counseling centres and clinics must be looked into and the matter will be discussed with the Health department.
Stating that the action of police to stop drug abuse is an important but it is not enough and the issue of drug abuse also needs to be addressed through awareness.
Sangma also underlined the need for psychiatric part saying the health department does not stress on psychiatric part of the youths.
Maintaining that youths do face many challenges and difficulties, Sangma said that the government should ensure a support system for the youths to handle the stress of the youths.
“ All needs to come together and the future of the country and even Meghalaya depends on how we channelise your (Youths) energy ,” Sangma said.
The conference was organised with an aim to highlight the prevalence of substance abuse and suicide among adolescents and to create awareness on its effects on the society and the youth. The objectives of the conference is to identify the different types of substances and its effect, knowing impact of substance abuse including its prevention, to elaborate concept of peer group pressure, to understand causes of suicidal tendency among the youths, to focus and help the youths with suicidal thoughts and to correlate the relation between substance abuse and suicidal tendencies.
“ We cannot fight this battle by simply putting the various measures to check and stop the flow of different substances in our State, he said it is time to come together for the politician, academician, health sector and society in general to be able to find some kind of way forward to tackle the problem,” he added.
Earlier, Richard B. Uriah, Principal of North Liberty Higher Secondary School, who was also present on the occasion
urged the youths not to abuse any substance even as he added, “ Don’t escape from yourself but enjoy yourself.”
During the programme, the Chief Minister along with other dignitaries released a Souvenir of the Woodland Institute of Nursing titled “U Mawmer ka jingjop”.
The topics for the technical session are Substance use and abuse and overview, Medical aspects of substance use, Peer group pressure and adolescents at risk, Impacts of substance abuse in the society and Substance abuse and suicide: where the two intersect, Narcotic drugs and Psychotropic substance Act, Suicide among adolescents with substance abuse: prevention and intervention strategies followed by a panel discussion on the theme.
