Treatment programme for drug users of CCpur on
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 14 2020:
The Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) with the support of Coalition PLUS started a three month-long drug-free treatment program for street-based drug users of Churachandpur district, at the Overcomers Rehabilitation Centre, Lamphelpat from September 4, 2020 .
The blessing ceremony of the program was held at the conference hall of the centre with CoNE secretary, RK Khomoljit Singh, the centre's president S Herojit and president of Humanitarian Organisation for Progress and Empowerment (HOPE) Alex Samte as presidium members.
Delivering the keynote address, CoNE president RK Nilakanta stated that the prime objective of the programme is to safeguard the community of drug users who are vulnerable to HCV & HIV by providing them with residential care thereby minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
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He informed that due to the spread of COVID-19, there were heavy restrictions in enrolling new members in any of the drug rehabilitation centres.
Therefore, the community had taken up the initiative of organising this program.
A shelter cum home detoxification camp for the drug users of Imphal East and Imphal West in June and April has been conducted.
Drug users now have to get themselves tested for COVID-19 before getting admitted into a rehabilitation centre.
To solve this problem, a month-long drug detoxification program is being organised at Churachandpur district, targeting 12 drug users and putting them on treatment for a longer period of time, said Nilakanta.
He added that a treatment process like this will later help them socially.
Nilakanta asked the State Government to come up with specific initiatives for the drug user community especially at a time like the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that special policies should be integrated into the framing the Manipur State Drug Policy, which will help the State Government when addressing issues related to drug use in the State.