Harm-reduction services provided by the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann are becoming an important part of the state’s ‘Yudh nashiyan varudh’ campaign. These services aim to provide treatment to individuals struggling with drug addiction and reduce the health and social risks associated with drug use.
In Punjab 547 outpatient opioid-assisted treatment (OOAT) centers operated by the Health Department and 47 opioid substitution therapy (OST) centers operated by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society are providing services for individuals affected by substance use disorders (SUDs). In addition, support is also provided through targeted interventions.
Medication and Counseling Facilities at Centers
The primary harm reduction intervention in Punjab is provided through OOAT centers. These centers provide patients with medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder along with counseling. Some medications used for the management of acute or long-term pain are also prescribed by a government psychiatrist. This treatment primarily uses buprenorphine (BPN) or a buprenorphine-naloxone combination. Patients are required to come to the center daily to collect their medication as per prescribed criteria, while eligible patients are also provided with the facility to take their medication home for a certain period.
Awareness of Safe Injection Practices
Under the Harm-Reduction Program drug users are made aware of the health risks and encouraged to seek treatment. Health teams counsel those who continue to inject drugs on safe injection practices, emphasizing not reusing used syringes and adopting procedures to reduce the risk of blood-borne infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
Expanding Methadone Therapy Options
The Punjab government has expanded methadone maintenance therapy to the treatment options for opioid dependence. Six dedicated clinics for oral substitution therapy using liquid methadone are currently operating in Faridkot, Ludhiana, Patiala, Gurdaspur, Mohali, and Jalandhar. Six more methadone maintenance treatment centers are being established in the state. Once operational the total number of such dedicated centers will reach 12.
Treatment in accordance with WHO and NACO guidelines
According to the Ministry of Health, methadone maintenance therapy in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) guidelines provides a treatment option for people struggling with long-term opioid dependence.