Over 32,500 substance abuse cases registered in J&K since 2022: Govt

Srinagar, Feb 20: More than 32,500 drug abuse cases have been registered across Jammu and Kashmir since 2022, with the highest number of patients reported from Srinagar and Jammu districts, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Friday

Replying to a clubbed question (No 571, 805, 890, and 1093) tabled by MLAs Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Ali Muhammad Sagar, and Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, the Health and Medical Education Minister Sakena Itoo said a total of 32,517 patients had been registered at Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) across J&K.

According to the official reply, 16,759 patients were registered in the Kashmir division and 15,758 in the Jammu division.

In Kashmir, Srinagar recorded the highest number of registered patients at 6100, followed by Anantnag at 2157, Kulgam 2075, and Baramulla 1623.

Other districts reported lower figures, including Budgam 1166, Pulwama 1312, Bandipora 817, Shopian 713, Kupwara 552, and Ganderbal 244. In the Jammu division, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu accounted for 9806 registered patients since 2022.

Other districts included Kathua with 1529, Rajouri 1227, Udhampur 968, Ramban 577, Doda 566, Poonch 359, Kishtwar 311, Samba 292, and Reasi 123.

ìThe drug de-addiction services are being strengthened across J&K under the Health and Medical Education Department and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan,î the Health Minister said in a written reply.

The government said that Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) were functional in all districts of the Kashmir division and nine districts of the Jammu division, offering both inpatient (IPD) and outpatient (OPD) services.

In Kashmir, 11 ATFs are currently operational, including facilities at SKIMS, GMC Bemina Srinagar, GMC Anantnag, GMC Baramulla, and GMC Handwara, as well as district hospitals in Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal, and Bandipora.

In the Jammu division, ATFs are functional at GMC Jammu, GMC Doda, GMC Kathua, GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri, and GMC Associated Hospital Udhampur, along with district hospitals in Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban, and Reasi.

An ATF at District Hospital Samba has been functional on an OPD basis since February 2024.

ìDe-addiction OPD services are functional in all 20 districts of J&K, while IPD services are available in all nine GMCs, catering to both male and female patients,î the reply said, adding that psychiatrists have been posted in all GMCs for clinical oversight.

Responding to queries regarding Pulwama and Samba districts, the government said there is no proposal at present to establish new drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in these districts.

However, it said that an existing Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre at village Bajwani, Tral in Pulwama is functional and catering to patients.

In Samba, the Addiction Treatment Facility established at the District Hospital in February 2024 is sponsored by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS New Delhi, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Services at the Samba facility include psychiatric OPD consultations, counselling, addiction treatment and free de-addiction medicines, the government said.