Seminar on drug, alcohol problem held
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 21 2013:
Contending that drug and alcohol problem in the State is reaching an alarming point, Education Minister M Okendro has stressed on the need to spread awareness on the matter to the students' community of the State.
He was speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural function of the one-day seminar on Response to Drug and Alcohol problem in Manipur at RIMS Jubilee Hall today.
The seminar was jointly organised by Department of Psychiatry, RIMS and Indian Psychiatric Society, Manipur State Branch in association with Manipur State AIDS Control Society.
Besides the loss of many precious and promising lives to drugs, many people came in contact with HIV/AIDS due to drug abuse, the Minister said.
Even though people memorised the proverb Health is Wealth, no one cares how to keep their body healthy, he underlined.
Apart from organising debate, essay and launching campaign on the ill-effects of drugs and alcohol, compulsory questions on the effects of drugs and alcohol should also be included in exams, he said.
The inaugural function was also attended by Director of RIMS, Prof S Sekharjit and Manipur State Branch of Indian Psychiatric Society as the president and guest of honour respectively.
Delivering the keynote address, organising chairman of the seminar, Prof N Heramani Singh said that though drug and alcohol abuse is not a contagious one, it has far reaching consequence in the family and society.
It in turn impeded societal growth.
As per OST Training Manual 2011, one among ten IDUs is HIV positive in India.
IDUs are highly vulnerable to HIV.
Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Orissa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Chandigarh and Pubjab are States with high number of IDUs.
12 percent of drug users in Manipur are below 15 years while 31.32 percent are between the age group of 16-25.55.88 percent of the drug users are between 25 and 35 years of age.
Hence the need to spread awareness among all stakeholders arises, he said.
Resource persons of the seminar included Dr S Gojendro Singh, dept of Psychiatry, RIMS; AK Brojen, Professor of Community Medicine, RIMS; NDDTC Professor of AIIMS, Anju Dhawan; Joint Director of MACS, Abhiram Mongjam; Prof RK Lenin Singh; president of FINGODEP, Dr A Jayanta; Prof MC Arun of Anthropology dept, MU; general secretary of AMADA, Ph Phony Meetei; vice president of CADA head office, Maisnam Valjit Luwang; SP of Narcotic Bureau, Imphal KV Robinson Gangte and editor of Imphal Times, Rinku Khumukcham.
Prof Gyaneshwar Sharma, Dr L Surchandra, prof Ng Brajachand, Prof W Naba-kumar, Prof Heramani Singh, Dr K Shantibala, Prof AK Singh, BB Sharma and Dr S Manikanta Singh were the chairpersons of different sessions.