The de-addiction programmes launched by the Excise department under its Vimukti scheme have hit a roadblock in Kozhikode district with delay in appointing the required number of professionals including psychologists, nurses and other support staff. Though there is an increase in the number of admission queries, the centre is yet to get the service of a professional psychologist.
Accordind to Excise department sources, the absence of an effective State-level monitoring system is one of the reasons for its poor functioning. The replacement of existing contractual appointments with permanent appointments would be more beneficial for the patients, they added.
“The renewal of expired job contracts for seven workers is yet to take place. Currently, staff members deputed from other hospitals are managing the show,” said V. Prakash, a Kozhikode native who was involved in the admission of a drug addict to the centre. He added that the short-term contractual appointments would in no way help to meet the goals of de-addiction centres.
The Vimukti centre was opened in 2018 with the support of Health department authorities. In just four years, it managed to serve around 10,000 people. The number of people who used the in-patient facility was around 500.
According to Excise department officials, about 10 percent of the total beneficiaries were teenagers who were referred by the police, counsellors and doctors. About three percent were women who were allotted a separate ward for treatment.
Apart from medication, counselling sessions by professional psychologists were a major proposal for the centre. The facility which initially opened with 11 staff, including a medical officer and psychiatrist, witnessed a drop in the number of offcials owing to the delay in renewal of work contracts.
Volunteers who worked with the State government’s de-addiction campaign in the city said the issues could be settled only with the joint intervention of the Excise and Health departments. The State government had earlier sanctioned ₹18 crore for various facility upgrades at Vimukti centres which should be considered as a positive sign, they added.