Home / Health / Punjab Opens State's First Methadone Clinic
Punjab Opens State's First Methadone Clinic
27 Jun
Summary
- Punjab launched its first dedicated methadone therapy clinic.
- The clinic offers outpatient services and counselling for opioid dependence.
- Five more centers were virtually launched across Punjab.
Punjab's health minister inaugurated the state's inaugural dedicated methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) clinic on Friday at the civil hospital in Ludhiana. This significant development, established under the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, aims to expand access to scientific treatment for individuals struggling with opioid dependence.
The newly opened clinic will provide outpatient services including supervised methadone therapy, psychiatric consultations, psychological counseling, and family support. Patients can receive treatment and return home the same day. For those requiring more intensive care, de-addiction facilities at the civil hospital are available for admission.
Five additional MMT clinics were simultaneously launched virtually across Punjab, located in Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Mohali, Faridkot, and at Government Medical College, Patiala. This expansion signifies the government's commitment to offering specialized opioid substitution treatment in more districts.
Health officials emphasized the clinic's multidisciplinary treatment model designed to improve adherence, reduce relapses, and support social reintegration. Methadone maintenance therapy, recommended by the WHO and guided by NACO, is an internationally accepted method for managing withdrawal symptoms and cravings, thereby aiding long-term recovery.
