Overdose awareness and Memorial Day observed
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 31 2013 :
As done across the globe, the Overdose Awareness and Memorial Day was observed in the State under the joint aegis of SASO, MNP+ and Care Foundation at Wahengbam Leikai Brajanath Mandop near the head office of SASO here today.
Organized under the theme "Unnecessary Death", the aim of the observance was to commemorate the lives of those who have died of drug overdose and to reinforce the efforts on creating awareness on drug overdose.
The observance highlighted the need to sensitize the general public and the police personnel on the issue of drug overdose.
Speaking on the occasion as a special invitee, Dr Shyamjai, Deputy Director of MACS (TI), stated that in America, next to car accident deaths, deaths from drug overdose is the highest.
The deaths among drug users in Manipur from overdose are mainly because of 'solitary injection'.
Since there is no one to attend to them at the time of overdose, they ultimately die.
Sharing his experiences during the technical session, Dhanabir, a representative of MNP+, informed how people treated him when he experienced overdose for the first time.
He was injected with salt solution by the unaware general public for which he was infected internally and was hospitalized for more than two months to recover.
Th Mema, a Health Care Worker of SASO, while sharing her experiences informed that she has been working in SASO since 2004 and till today she had given services to more than 656 clients who suffered overdose but few of them cannot be saved due to late information given.
She further informed that on a daily basis around 3-10 patients of overdose are reported.
Due to the large number of overdose cases in the State, they have even approached the drug peddlers to keep Naloxone, a drug used to treat overdose patients, to be supplied by SASO, so that the number of deaths due to overdose can be reduced to a considerable level.
Surprisingly, there is not a single State in the entire country where the government provides Naloxone services.
The total number of overdose cases reported in Manipur as per the record maintained in SASO, from the year 2004-2011 is 448 out of which 17 are female.
Of these cases, 22 were unsuccessful in responding and expired.
She further informed that even the Hospital authorities, where Naloxone drugs have been provided by SASO to give services to overdose patients, sent the patients to SASO as they are reluctant to provide treatment services to IDUs.
There is still stigma and discrimination among the medical practitioners as far as dealing with IDUs is concerned.
She went on to point out that SASO is the first organization to take up overdose treatment programme under the sponsorship of India HIV Alliance in India.
During the technical session various issues were brought up and discussed including Legal protection of witness and staff in responding overdose, myths and practice of Overdose response among People Using Drugs (PUDs), reinforcing service delivery in covering beyond operational areas and working hours, importance on educating the signs and symptoms of overdose among drug users, family and Heroin peddlers who often witnesses overdose,etc.
The session ended with a resolution to develop a road map to address the issues pointed out in the technical session of the Observance and to conduct a follow up workshop which will be jointly organised by SASO, MNP+, Care Foundation in the first week of September 2013 .
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