By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 28: A two-day training in addiction medicine for 14 medical officers from Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh was held in SAN-KER, Mawroh, on March 26 and 27.
During the training, the participants were taught about the disease of addiction, its signs and symptoms and how to manage acute events arising out of addictive behaviours.
Interviewing techniques and family dynamics were explained the importance of support groups in the long-term rehabilitation of the addicts were the non-medical aspects of the training.
The trainees were eager to learn and receptive to the knowledge and skills imparted.
They interacted with addicts inpatients and marvelled that they were no different from anyone.
Since addiction is a family disease and consequently the whole society is affected, the second part of the effort to tackle this pandemic will be a training programme for the nursing staff PHCs that are under the management of the Karuna Trust, whose management felt the need to train their staff to care for substance dependent individuals. Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh graced the programme as the chief guest. He also presented the participants with certificates.
It was over 50 years ago when the war on drugs was declared but it was only in June 2011 that the Global Commission on Drug Policy declared the global war on drugs a failure. In June 2022 UN human rights experts called on the international community to bring an end to the so-called “war on drugs” and promote drug policies that are firmly anchored in human rights.
Drug use and dependency should not be treated as a criminal matter, but rather as a health issue to be addressed through rights-based measures including public health education, the provision of mental hygiene treatment, care and support, rehabilitation and transition/reintegration programmes.
Portugal’s experience of decriminalising drug use was supported by the money saved from punitive measures against drugs which funded care and rehabilitative facilities. Let us learn from history and dream of a rehabilitation centre in every Assembly constituency.