Captain Amarinder
Singh-led Congress government rode to power in Punjab on the poll plank of
ridding Punjab of drugs in a month, however, even after completion of half its
tenure, the drug problem remains a challenge for the government despite its efforts.
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu
tells CHANDAN SWAPNIL about the hurdles that the government faces and plans for
tackling the problem…
CS :- Your
govt came in power with promise of Eradication of drugs. How has the situation
improved?
Sidhu :- More
than thousands of drug smugglers have been caught till now by us. We were able
to break the chain supplies of drugs but we were unable to control supplies
which come across the border. We are working on it, with the help of
centre government. They have caught a lot of consignments. The government which
was in power before had supported such cause instead of working against them.
Our government has made sure to get hold off all the people involved, even if
they are big names. This issue not only requires governments help but
societies’ too.
CS :- Shortage
of psychiatrists and other has been one of the biggest hurdles. With only 130
psychiatrists in government hospitals and private centers when 300 are
required. Why this crisis of manpower not solved?
Sidhu :- We
are hiring psychiatrists on daily basis. Government is there for the benefit of
people but if people trust someone after God then it is doctors since the world
has become too commercialized everyone is running after status and money.
Doctors are running towards private hospitals because they are more of show off
whereas government hospitals are simple. There are various kinds of doctors;
some are really serving people well.
CS :-In the policy matter why
do we not take help from expert of AIMS? Senior doctors like Dr. Satish and Dr.
Atul Ambekar say that the government is not dealing with the private sector
properly?
Sidhu :- I
didn’t know about their statement. I will make sure to go to speak to them.
CS :- Why
Punjab government is not adopting flexibility in the treatment of patients?
Even when the patient goes missing for several days, no efforts are made infact
government blames the patient whereas it can be brought into the mainstream by
interpretation.
Sidhu :- Government is handling this situation
well. Children who are into drugs are kept confidentially and are taken care
off but there are some who cannot be treated or you can say are critical, are
sent back. Trying to get them on the right path with confidence. The priority
of CM is to make Punjab free of intoxication. We are working in this direction.
CS :- 7
lakh 20 thousand drug patients in Punjab, the government has managed to cover
about 2.10 lakh drug addicts (30%) in the state. What is being done to make the
remaining drug addicts join centres for treatment?
Sidhu :- There are many types of
intoxication. Chitta, opium or small fat addicts. Due to this, the number of
addicts becomes more, but in reality only 2 lakh 10 thousand which need more
attention.
CS :- Why
is the stock of medicine not being brought to more and more private
institutions along with oat clinics? Why the supply of buprenorphine limited to
a few stock holders?
Sidhu :- We are bringing
more oat clinics and we have decided to give more weightage to government
treatments and control private treatments by limiting them. We have checked
that some doctors in the private sector are using it wrongly, we will slowly
clamp down on them.
CS :- It
has been revealed in my investigation that more medicines are being given to
the patient than stock?
Sidhu: - I am reviewing all the
files and what I think is that instead of de-addiction centers, we will build
rehabilitation centers which are my dream. In Punjab, we will establish
four-five rehabilitation centers, which will be of five acres. There will be
children's studies, games, and recovery rooms. We will encourage these children
by calling them good celebrities of the country and the world. We would like to
keep such children busy. They need more counseling. Private hospitals have made
it a business to sell pills. If you are a psychiatric, you have to give
medicine on its prescription. How much medication is to be given will also be
decided. Any doctor caught selling more pills than required, will be punished.
CS:- There is a discussion in the Doctor’s lobby that former Health
Minister Brahm Mohindra and Health Secretary Satish Chandra were replaced by CM
because they failed to crack down on drug mafia? So far you have not removed
the biggest fish (a couple) who are running this as a business, while the
entire ministry has been changed?
Sidhu: -Last week I met with the Chairman of
the National Price Control. We have discussed this issue. People will get
medicine at a competitive rate. The names you have mentioned, there are many
such people, we will stop them, they are being reviewed. Since Brahma Mohindra
was old, but I am young and have already paid many visits. I will also
personally visit private de-addiction centers.
CS:- Many doctors have come in contact
with us, who said that Dr. Amit has left his agents, who tricked away their
patients.
Sidhu:- Only one de-addiction center will
run in the name of a doctor, he will be present there for 24 hours. If more
than one private de-addiction center is found in the name of a doctor, then his
license will be canceled. The government will not tolerate such kind of
practices. Now, we can cancel all such centers which are running by reviewing
them personally.
CS :- The Punjab government was encouraging the establishment of
private de-addiction and rehabilitation centers. What is being done to ensure
that private centers follow the rules?
Sidhu:-Perhaps the previous government felt
that they cannot reach everyone, and that’s why this was implemented. But we
are going to change this rule, since we are worried too about the comfort of
our people.
CS: Why Implementation of Punjab State
Mental Healthcare Rules, 2019, has been delayed?
Sidhu:- No doubt that it is taking time,
but we will implement it. We will not take any sort of ease in this. We are
choosing different districts to launch new schemes. Our aim is to mobilize all
the people of Punjab. Society should love such children instead of ignoring
them, so that they can return to the mainstream.
CS :-The final question is how to crack the drug mafia?
Sidhu:- There is not only one such drug
mafia, patients are being robbed at many places . We are going to open a Public
Health Center in every government hospital so that the drug mafia can be
cracked. That was my purpose for the Delhi meeting. The MRP rate on the drug
remains high. We want to end this deception. There is a difference of 60% in
their medicine. As a minister, I myself will also investigate the factory,
barrier and drug bills received by the people. It is our objective to bring it
under the necessary medicine so that the patients can get the medicine at a
reasonable rate.
