Govt frames rules for drug rehabilitation centres in J&K

Srinagar, Apr 6: In a significant move, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has unveiled rules for drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in the Union Territory.
As per notification, the government has enacted the “Jammu & Kashmir Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Counselling and Rehabilitation Centre Rules, 2026” under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
The Director Health Services Jammu/Kashmir or such other officer as may be notified by the Government shall be the licensing authority for these rules.
The Rules forbid persons from operating drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres without obtaining a valid license from the licensing authority.
The license, as per the Rules, shall be issued only after due inspection and verification of infrastructure, physical facilities, qualified staff, treatment and counselling systems, record-keeping arrangements, and compliance with the medical and ethical standards prescribed. “No Centre shall function in a residential area without prior approval of the Municipal Corporation, Municipality, or Panchayat concerned and shall also obtain a No Objection Certificate from the concerned police station,” the Rules state.
The Rules also lay down infrastructural requirements, such as a minimum area of 400 sq ft per 10 beds for the inpatient department (IPD) only; separate rooms for counselling and outpatient services (130–150 sq ft); distinct male and female wards with adequate privacy; and provision of two beds for emergency or detoxification, with continuous medical supervision.
Similarly, they also lay down that each centre shall employ at least one clinical psychiatrist, one medical officer, one clinical psychologist per 15 patients, one nurse per 10 patients, a social worker or counsellor, and supporting staff such as attendants, a record keeper, cook, sanitation worker, and security personnel.
As per the guidelines, each centre must follow the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the Health and Medical Education Department (Secy/H&ME/2022/30 dated 15.9.2022), along with NACO/WHO protocols and government directives.
Only approved pharmacotherapies may be administered, and only under the prescription of a qualified psychiatrist or medical officer, the Rules state.
Each patient, as per the Rules, must be assigned a Unique Treatment Identification Number (UTIN) linked to a central database. “Before initiating substitution therapy, centres must verify the patient’s treatment history through the portal,” the Rules state.
The Rules provide that drug dispensation must occur under direct supervision, and take-home doses require written approval from a psychiatrist. “Centres must maintain daily dispensing registers, stock registers, and digital entries. All records must be retained for at least five years,” the Rules state.
According to the Rules, each centre must establish a Quality-Assurance Cell to ensure correct dosages, expiry checks, and proper storage of controlled drugs. According to the Rules, centres must report adverse drug reactions within 48 hours to the Licensing Authority and Pharmacovigilance Cell. “In the event of a death or serious adverse event, intimation shall be made within 24 hours to the nearest police station, the Chief Medical Officer of the district, and the licensing authority,” the Rules state.
They also provide for the constitution of a monitoring committee at the Union Territory level comprising representatives from the Health & Medical Education Department, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Social Welfare, and Police (Narcotics) to review performance and compliance.
The Licensing Authority may suspend or cancel the license if the centre violates the Rules or the Act; misuses or diverts drugs; jeopardizes patient safety; or maintains false or incomplete records.
According to the notification, all existing centres shall comply with the Rules and shall apply before the licensing authority within a period of six months from the date of issuance of these Rules. (KNO)