Himachal to set up advisory board for de-addiction

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced to set up a state-level advisory board for de-addiction and rehabilitation. The CM will be chairman of the board.

The board will have a mandate to streamline the activities of various line departments on substance abuse to ensure an integrated approach towards the menace.

The CM on Wednesday also announced to set up a Centre of Excellence of Mental Health at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda as a state-level nodal institution for de-addiction and rehabilitation.

Addressing a one-day long workshop on maternal, infant and young child nutrition and de-addiction, Sukhu on Wednesday said that an opioid substitution therapy centre would be established at all medical colleges and district hospitals of the state.

Sukhu said that the state government would prepare an action plan for addressing the nutritional concerns of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers and children up to the age of six years besides drug abuse prevention, de-addiction and rehabilitation.

He said that the state government has initiated a crackdown on drug mafias and many of the culprits had been nabbed and the state government has also made a provision to confiscate their properties. He said that to curb the drug menace, an integrated approach must be adopted.

He further said that changing lifestyle is causing several health issues, therefore, it was essential to adopt a proper diet and lifestyle changes. He said that modern machines were being introduced in government health institutions and steps were being taken to follow doctor patients and nurse patients ratio in line with international health standards so that people can get better health care facilities.

Addressing the workshop, Health minister Dhani Ram Shandil, while speaking on the occasion, emphasised on the importance of such deliberations in shaping the positive changes and policy decisions.

Member of NITI Aayog V.K. Paul stressed the importance of monitoring, training and teamwork to tackle the malnutrition issues in children. He advocated for immediate breastfeeding within the hospital after childbirth and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.