Over 25,000 drug addicts received treatment in 3 years: Sakeena Itoo

Jammu, Mar 5: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo on Wednesday informed the Assembly that over 25,000 drug addicts have received treatment across Jammu and Kashmir in the last three years.
Responding to a question by National Conference (NC) MLA Mubarak Gul during the Question Hour, Sakeena acknowledged the rising drug addiction among youth but noted a slight decline in new registrations following the launch of the ‘Nasha Mukt Abhiyan’ in September 2022.
She said that 25,402 individuals had undergone treatment at various de-addiction centers, with 9,775 cases in 2022, 8,702 in 2023, and 6,925 in 2024. While outpatient (OPD) drug addiction cases have shown a downward trend, inpatient (IPD) cases have increased, which she attributed to the expansion of inpatient services in de-addiction centers.
The minister informed the House that Jammu and Kashmir currently has 20 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs)—11 in Kashmir and 9 in Jammu. OPD services are operational in all 20 districts, while inpatient treatment is available in all nine Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), catering to both male and female patients. Psychiatrists are posted in every GMC across the Union Territory.
Additionally, 25 medical officers (12 from Jammu and 13 from Kashmir) have been trained at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and deployed to de-addiction centers. Real-time surveillance through Google Sheets has been introduced to monitor trends and assess the effectiveness of interventions.
The minister highlighted ongoing awareness efforts, including seminars, workshops, and programs in schools, colleges, and universities, conducted in collaboration with district administrations, NGOs, and volunteers.
She also emphasized the TeleMANAS initiative, a mental health helpline set up across all 20 districts to provide addiction counseling. Under ‘Project Najaath’, launched in November 2023 in Jammu and Pulwama, the government has partnered with J&K Bank to educate communities about drug abuse and promote prevention and treatment services.
Expressing concern over the rising drug addiction cases, several Assembly members demanded stricter measures and an in-depth review of existing mechanisms. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather ordered a discussion on the issue to gather suggestions from lawmakers.
CPI (M) MLA M Y Tarigami questioned the past decade’s governance, holding previous administrations accountable for the surge in drug addiction. He called for the formation of an expert panel and a House committee to assess the crisis.
BJP MLAs Arvind Gupta and Yudhvir Sethi sought further details from the government and supported a full-fledged discussion on the matter.
AAP MLA Mehraj Malik criticized the administration for its “failure” in tackling the issue, while Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat backed the demand for a House committee.
NC MLA Justice Hasnain Masoodi urged the government to enhance infrastructure and strengthen the de-addiction framework. Despite initial opposition from the minister to an extended discussion, Speaker Rather allowed a half-hour debate to gather lawmakers’ inputs on tackling the crisis effectively. (KINS)