‘Monitoring private de-addiction centres’

Vishav Bharti

The indiscriminate use of buprenorphine has emerged as a big concern in the state. What steps has the health department taken to control it?

Buprenorphine is used worldwide for treatment of addiction of opium and its derivates. Heroin, which is the most commonly used opiate, is extremely addictive, both physically and psychologically. You have to use increasing amounts of the drug in order to achieve the same high and that can create a constant craving for the drug. As the dose needs to be increased to achieve the same effect, it leads to overdose which could be fatal. Buprenorphine, on the other hand, is a drug used for treatment. It causes less euphoria and physical dependence. It has a lower potential for misuse as compared to heroin and other opiates and, most importantly, it has a ceiling on opioid effects. 

Buprenorphine is being procured by the government at reasonable rates and is dispensed free of cost to patients undergoing treatment at government centres and OOAT clinics. A person may take its scheduled dose and continue with routine activity.

It has been found that the buprenorphine is illegally coming from small manufacturing units located in Gujarat and Uttarakhand. Has the government taken up the matter with central authorities? 

No, there is no illegal supply of buprenorphine coming to Punjab from Gujarat or Uttarakhand. However, in the one case that came to our notice, we have taken strict action and referred the matter to the concerned State Drug Controllers to the Centre for appropriate action.

Some centres were found selling the medicine in large quantity. What action has been taken to check such centres?

Before the launch of OOAT programme and introduction of central registry system, it was noticed that private de-addiction centres were not rationally dispensing the tablets. Therefore, it was made compulsory for all private deaddiction centres to enter each patient on the online registration system along with the details of medicine issued to him. Deputy commissioners and civil surgeons have been sensitised to regularly monitor private centres to keep a check on them.

A large number of patients in Punjab are now on buprenorphine. Does the health department have any plans to taper off the dose of medicine?

Via our central registry system, we are keeping a track of patients’ dosage too. Till date, the dose of buprenorphine has been tapered off in 7,225 patients registered in OOAT clinics and in 11,434 persons registered in private clinics. Keeping in view the complaints received against some centres, the state drafted new rules for licencing of centres and criteria for minimum standards of care has been revised in terms of physical infrastructure, human resource and licencing procedure. These rules will be notified soon.  — Vishav Bharti