VIJAYAWADA: In tune with the State government’s policy of total prohibition of liquor in phases and rehabilitation of alcohol and drug addicts, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday inaugurated 15 alcohol and drug de-addiction centres digitally from his camp office in Tadepalli on Friday.
The total number of such de-addiction centres will be increased to 25 and they will start functioning by the end of this year, covering all Parliamentary constituencies. Explaining the functioning of these centres, Women Development & Child Welfare director Dr Kritika Shukla said the maintenance of 15 alcohol/drug de-addiction centres set up in 15 government hospitals to cost `4.98 crore per annum.
Treatment will be provided free of cost to patients. Each centre will have 11 staff, including a psychiatrist, doctors having MBBS qualification and three counsellors. The staff have to be trained by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of AIIMS. There will be outpatient and inpatient facilities in the de-addiction centres.
Doctors and counsellors will be available for treatment and counselling of patients from 9 am to 4 pm. Those who need full-time assistance will be treated in inpatient facility, she said. The centres are well-equipped with all infrastructure, including doctor’s room, counselling room, 15-bed inpatient and outpatient wards and waiting room.
Data from NDDTC report
13.7 per cent in the age group of 10 to 75 years under the influence of alcohol in the State
47 lakh consume alcohol 3.6 lakh consume opium 1.08 lakh take ganja 1.4 lakh take drugs