Opioid Substitution Therapy : One Of The Treatments For Addicts
From drug addict to health worker
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 28 2012: Literally, the life of L Kenneth is a journey of transformation from being a drug addict to an active health worker.

Usually drug addicts are seen as rascals and often treated with scorn in the society.

But they do not necessarily represent a lost case.

They can certainly transform themselves into responsible citizens of the society.

L Kenneth was once ostracised by his family for his drug habit as someone who was good for nothing.

But today he has successfully given up his drug addiction and is no longer a slave of any opioids.

After undergoing Opioid Substitution Therapy, Kenneth is now working as an active health worker.

Apart from his efforts to check transmission of such diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C, he is also taking a big role in ensuring that drug addicts receive health care services.

In addition to the protracted political armed conflict and various other issues plaguing the State, Manipur's location on the transit route of drugs like heroin, morphine, spasmoproxybon capsules lured many youngsters to take to these drugs, and many of them often end up being drug addicts.

Generally, drug addicts have little concern about the responsibility towards themselves, families and the society at large.

Sometimes, they become agents of several criminal activities.

Given this reality, parents and families need to take extra care for de-addiction of these youngsters.

Of the many medication and treatment facilities available in the State, Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) is one.

Registered drug addicts are given medically safe Bupremorphine at OST centres under the method of direct observation treatment.

Initially, Kenneth was given 10 mg of Bupremorphine everyday.

The dose was gradually reduced to 0.2 mg per day.

After this stage, Bupremorphine was given on alternate days.

And ultimately he was able to carry on with life without any opioids nor OST treatment.

"Now I'm free from the bondage of opioids.

Not only I am shouldering my responsibility towards my family but I'm also working as an outreach worker", Kenneth said.

Kenneth started taking heroin in 1998 when he was in college.

As he eventually became a drug addict, he was put in detoxification camps four times, and another four times in drug rehabilitation centres.

All these measures could not wean away Kenneth from his drug habit.

It was in 2006 when he registered himself in the OST centre opened at the Care Foundation.

While undergoing treatment at Care Foundation, Kenneth started working as a counsellor.

However, he got re-lapsed and reverted to the old habit of injecting drugs.

He again registered for OST treatment at the Manipur Network Positive People in 2010.By January 2012, Kenneth could go on with his life without OST treatment, and he was finally freed from the much hated remark of being a drug addict.

In the meantime, from being a peer educator Kenneth graduated to the level of outreach worker.

"Like many other drug addicts, I was always thinking how could I give up my drug habit but fearing the withdrawal symptoms, we continued taking drugs" .

"People must have firm determination and will power, to give up drugs if they got addicted once", Kenneth said.

Elaborating on OST treatment, Kenneth said that OST can reduce all kinds of health risks generally associated with drug addition.

There is no risk of overdose in using Bupremorphine.

At the same, it gave the same kick one received by using opioids.

As no syringe is shared for injecting drugs, OST provides no room for transmission of virus which causes HIV or Hepatitis C .

World Health Organisation in 2009 identified OST as the best form of treatment of opioid dependents in developed as well as developing countries.

OST also reduces risk behaviours prone to HIV infection, Kenneth said.

Comment