The priority of CM is to make Punjab free of intoxication

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.