To combat the menace of drug addiction in the state, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh, on Wednesday, brainstormed with experts to formulate a comprehensive Mental Health Policy in the state.
Chairing the experts' meeting on "Punjab's Journey to Wellness: With Psychological Well-Being", Dr Balbir Singh highlighted the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government's commitment to tackling the drug abuse with a comprehensive approach that focuses on mental health and wellness.
By gathering experts, the initiative aims to create effective strategies to enhance psychological well-being and ultimately eliminate the menace of addiction in the state. Addressing the plenary session of the meeting, Dr Balbir Singh stated that the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is prioritising the formulation of a multi-pronged and multi-disciplinary approach to effectively tackle the menace of drug abuse.
Dr Balbir Singh emphasised that the psychological well-being of every individual in society is essential for achieving the goal of drug de-addiction. He highlighted that all sections of society, including school children, farmers, recent deportees, and labourers, will receive counselling focused on psychological well-being to prevent any future tendencies toward drug abuse.
While appreciating the efforts of the Punjab Police in controlling the supply of drugs, Dr Balbir Singh urged for the more frequent utilisation of rehabilitation provisions (under section 64-A) for drug users arrested by the police. This approach aims to facilitate their reintegration into society.
Dr Balbir Singh vowed to engage with religious organisations, stating, "the government plans to open 4-5 new rehabilitation centres in cooperation with these organisations. Additionally, 'Community Support Groups' will be established to provide better counselling for the youth and their families," he added.
The Health Minister also emphasised the importance of reducing the stigma associated with drug abuse, stating that drug users should be approached with sympathy and that they need society's support to overcome their challenges. He insisted that the new policy introduced by the Punjab government to control drug abuse will undoubtedly position Punjab as a torchbearer state in the fight against this issue.
Empowerment of drug users through skill development is a key focus of the government. The Minister directed that every drug user should be rehabilitated in the centres by equipping them with skills and connecting them to employment opportunities through various employment generation schemes. This approach aims to provide sustainable support for their recovery and reintegration into society.
Principal Secretary Health, Kumar Rahul assured the Health Minister to implement the health policies of the government in letter and spirit.Four panel discussions on De-addiction programs in Punjab: Do we need to improvise?, Skill Development as part of mental health and de-addiction treatment, Punjab Mental Health Policy (Discussion on draft) and on stress management and suicide prevention , were held to deliberate on the concerned mental health issues.
Project Director PSACS Varinder Kumar Sharma, MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori, ADGP Nilabh Kishore, Member Punjab Development Commission Anurag Kundu, , Professor AIIMS Delhi Dr. Atul Ambekar, Professor and Head Deptt. of Psychiatry PGI Dr. Debasis Basu, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr.Hitinder Kaur, Director (ESI) Dr. Jaspreet Kaur, Director Medical Education Dr Avneet Kumar, APD Dr Bobby Gulati,AD (Mental Health) Dr Sandeep Bhola, Advocate Jastej Singh ( representative AG Punjab) , Col. Rajinder Singh (Representative Baru Sahib religious organization) , representatives of Narcotics Anonymous and representatives of Association of Psychiatrists were also present in the meeting.