614 0D cases recorded in four years
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 15 2020: Manipur recorded at least 614 cases of drug overdose and 20 deaths between 2016 and October 2020, said a report maintained by the Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO).

At least 43 deaths without known cause (of death) were reported this year between January and October according to a data maintained by the Women Action for Development based on newspaper reports.

All were male and 21 of them under the age of 30 including one 16-year-old and an 18-year-old suspected to have died of drug overdose.

They were found dead inside toilets, in drains, on roadside etc, said the report.

Speaking to this reporter, SASO general secretary RK Tiken said his organisation is one of the frontrunners which has been taking up efforts to avoid drug overdose deaths.

Between 2004 and 2014, there were 1,126 reported cases of drug overdose with 22 deaths.

In 2016, SASO in association with FHI 360, a global health and development organisation, started training Targeted Intervention NGOs on the issue and imparted practical knowledge on treatment of persons who had overdosed on drugs.

SASO also provided the life saving drug, Naloxone to the TI NGOs.

SASO has so far trained 30 TI NGOs, he said.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2014 had ordered all health institutes in India to keep Naloxone, a life saving drug.

Following this, the State Government had sanctioned Rs 14 lakh to procure the life saving drug and distributed it to all district hospitals and 24 health centres across the State, according to MACS (Manipur Aids Control Society).

Tiken further stated that even though the life saving drugs are available at the health centres and hospitals for free, lack of awareness among the people, coupled with lack of proper information and training among the healthcare professionals have been a hurdle in saving lives of drug overdose patients.

He informed that the most effective management of drug overdose is peer led intervention.

Peers of drug users are trained on handling drug overdose cases.

In case one of them suffers drug overdose, the peers can give the required first aid and inform authorities concerned or administer Naloxone themselves saving life of their friends.

The Government has made Naloxone available at district hospitals and 24 health centres across the State.

However, there have been no training of any kind regarding drug overdose management.

SASO had also approached NACO (National Aids Control Organisation) to initiate drug overdose management training/programmes.

For the State Government to take interest and initiate the programme, community intervention is needed, Tiken added.

CoNE (Community Network for Empowerment) president RK Nalinikanta also reiterated that proper awareness about the availability of the life saving drug (Naloxone) free of costs at hospitals will help manage drug overdose cases.

Timely intervention of the peers and family members may save the life of the drug overdosed person.

The required information about this life saving drug should reach all, he said.

He stated that Naloxone should be kept ready for emergency use at Casualty Wards of health care institutes.

The recent finding at Thoubal District Hospital was unfortunate.

The drug which was supposed to be kept at the casualty ward was found kept at the ART Centre.

This reveals that the hospital and its staff lack proper knowledge about the life saving drug and its management.

Proper training and awareness should be given to the hospital staff, he said.

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