Kapurthala becomes first district to launch Drug overdose Education and Management project

Would play significant role to reduce deaths due to overdose consumtion of drugs

Kapurthala, August 8 (Punjab Post Burerau) – Kapurthala has become the first district in the state to launch the Drug overdose education and Management project ( DOvE) to save the lifes of drug addicts by educating them by asha workers , ANMs , Civil hospital and PHC And CHCs.

              Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala Deepti Uppal said that it was observed during the lockdown that as the supply lines of drugs were broken the registration at OOAT clinics increased sharply, which may result into the increase in death rate also due to the overdose usage of drugs.

                She said that under the project “DOVE” it was decided to start awareness about addiction and it’s harms, increasing the availability of opioid dependence treatment, reducing irrational or inappropriate opioid prescription, monitoring opioid prescribing and dispensing, limiting availability over the counter sales of opioids.

                 She said that in all 10 Civil hospitals, PHCs and CHCs, specilist doctors have been asked to educate the addicts enrolled with the OOAT clinics . It may be mentioned here that during the lockdown period the registration at OOAT clinics have been increased to 8500 as more than 2000 persons made new registration.

                   Nodal officer of this project Dr. sandeep bhola said that the areas or persons which are at high risk have been identified which mainly included people who inject opioids and people who have used opioids and have medical conditiods such as HIV, liver or lung disease and suffer from depression.

                  He said that Asha workers, ANMs have also been asked to aware the people about the harmfull effects of drug overdose.