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Experts Warn: Overdose Prevention Needs Early Action
7 Sep
Summary
- Early screening and referral services are crucial for preventing drug dependence.
- Experts emphasize treating substance dependence as a medical condition, not moral failing.
- Government plans 10-bed de-addiction centers in all 36 medical colleges.
Preventing drug dependence and overdose hinges on early screening, robust referral systems, and compassionate care, according to experts. Speaking at an event on International Overdose Awareness Day, specialists highlighted that substance use often starts in adolescence due to curiosity or peer pressure. They underscored the importance of primary prevention through awareness and secondary prevention via early diagnosis and treatment.
The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) manages a significant caseload, receiving 650-700 addiction cases monthly. Severe alcohol dependence leads these cases, followed by tobacco, marijuana, and sedative dependence. To decentralize care and reduce the burden on IMH, the health department is set to establish 10-bed de-addiction centers in all 36 government medical colleges. This initiative aims to enable local treatment, thereby minimizing patient travel and the need for referrals.
Experts also emphasized shifting the perception of substance dependence from a moral failing to a treatable medical condition. They clarified that dependence develops over time, whereas overdose is an acute emergency that can affect individuals irrespective of their dependence status.
