Hoshiarpur – Under the aegis of the 'War Against Drugs' campaign, and acting on the directives of Smt. Ashika Jain, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur, the District Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Society organized an awareness seminar at Government College Hoshiarpur, led by College Principal Gagandeep Kaur Cheema.
On this occasion, College Principal Gagandeep Kaur Cheema welcomed the guests and encouraged the youth to stay away from social evils such as drug abuse. She remarked that Punjab is renowned for its unique identity.
Dr. Swati Sheemar, Deputy Medical Commissioner of Hoshiarpur, attended the event as the Chief Guest.
Also present on the occasion were Dr. Jasleen Kaur (Medical Officer, District Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, Hoshiarpur), Prashant Adya (Counselor), Rajwinder Kaur (Counselor), Tahreen Basra (Fellow, Mental Health), Prof. Niti, Prof. Bindu Sharma, Prof. Kulwinder Kaur, Prof. Arun Sharma, Prof. Tajinder Kaur, and Prof. Ranjit.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr. Swati Sheemar emphasized the need to foster a spirit of hard work and diligence among the youth. She encouraged the young generation to actively participate in spreading maximum awareness against drug abuse. She stated that if we become vigilant today, we can once again transform our Punjab into "Rangla Punjab" (Vibrant Punjab).
She further informed the public that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has made the "Tele-MANAS" app and helpline number 14416 available, through which counseling services can be accessed 24x7.
During the event, Rajwinder Kaur provided detailed information regarding the adverse effects of drug abuse.
Prashant Adya (Counselor) explained that, under the aegis of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Punjab, detoxification treatment for patients is provided for a duration of 15 to 21 days at two drug de-addiction centers in the Hoshiarpur district: the Civil Hospital Hoshiarpur and the Civil Hospital Dasuya. Subsequently, patients are housed for a period of 90 days at the District Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in Mohalla Fatehgarh, Hoshiarpur, where they receive individual, group, and family counseling, alongside vocational skills development training and certification.
Furthermore, 16 OOAT clinics are currently operational across the district—at the district, sub-divisional, and CHC levels—where online treatment is initiated based on the written consent of the patient and their family; this treatment typically spans approximately one year. This treatment is safe, carries no risk of death due to overdose, and also aids in the prevention of diseases such as HCV (Hepatitis C) and HIV/AIDS.
On this occasion, Tahreen Basra provided detailed information regarding the activities of the "War Against Drugs" campaign, which encompasses the 'Surma' program, the 'Village Watchmen' program, and awareness drives conducted at the grassroots level. She encouraged the public to volunteer as 'Village Watchmen' (VDC members).
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jasleen Kaur shared information regarding substance abuse (drug addiction).