Tribune News Service
Mandi, September 4
A 20-bed model de-addiction and rehabilitation centre (MDRC) has been established at Raghunath Ka Padhar in Mandi district. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will inaugurate it tomorrow.
Dr Sanjay Pathak, Chief Executive Officer, HP State Mental Health Authority, Shimla, said, "The Himachal Pradesh state mental Health Authority is the registering and regulating authority of all mental health establishments and as such, all de-addiction and rehabs are also monitored by it. There are around 90 such centres run by NGOs in the private sector. However, to enforce uniform minimum standards of services, the need was felt to establish a model de-addiction and rehab centre."
"Raghunath Ka Padhar MDRC shall be first of its kind to provide de-addiction and rehab services. It will be run by the zonal hospital authority, Mandi, under the aegis of the HP State Mental Health Authority, Shimla," he added.
"Keeping in view the growing number of youth getting into drugs, a three-pronged strategy of supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction is enforced. Whereas the supply reduction lies in the domain of the police and law and order agencies, the demand reduction and prevalence of use of drugs can be reduced by creating awareness about the harmful effects of drugs," he said.
Courtesy: Tribune News Service