Avoid cruel treatment to drug addicts, says doctor

Tribune News Service

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, April 15

Patients admitted to deaddiction and rehabilitation centres have the right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and the punishment model of deaddiction involving physical assault, torture and separation from the family should be avoided.

As per Section 20 (1) and (2) of the Mental Health Care Act 2017, patients admitted to these centres have the right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, says Dr Sanjay Pathak, Senior Medical Superintendent of the Himachal Hospital of Mental Health and Rehabilitation, Boileauganj, and CEO of the HP State Mental Health Authority.

At times, the family members get annoyed with the attitude of the drug user and send him to the rehab centre for harsh treatment without knowing his mental state, he says. The family should go for a psychiatry evaluation of the addict before sending him to the rehab centre, he adds.

All six medical colleges in the state have the psychiatry department and an acute withdrawal symptom leading to body cramps, irritation and an aggressive behaviour should be dealt with under the supervision of trained doctors, says Dr Pathak.

He says, “Regular counselling and occupational rehabilitation are also necessary like skill development for long-term results, as patients relapse under financial constraints”. At present, there are 76 private deaddiction and rehabilitation centres running in the state with the total capacity of about 2,500 beds.

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