Kalangarai Thittam - Drug addiction rehabilitation centres in TN - Things to know!
Are you aware of the shocking fact that across India 17 people between the age group 15 and 64 use drugs?
Information collected is that alcohol plus others like cannabis, heroin and opium are used frequently by many persons in India. Drug use is a major obstacle to overall health, mental health, family well being etc.
It is noteworthy that last February Tamil Nadu Government medical and Public Health dept has set up as many as 25 Kalangarai Integrated Drug Recovery and Rehabilitation centres at a cost of Rs 15.8 cr. The districts in TN where these centres are present are Ariyalur, Dharmapuri, Erode, Tiruvarur, Chennai, Madurai, Krishnagiri, Tirunelveli, Trichy, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur, Nilgris, Vellore, Villupuram, Chengalpet, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Salem, Tiruvannamalai, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar.
Each centre is headed by a psychiatrist and 6 psychiatric staff including counsellor, social worker, nurse, security guard, hospital staff, cleaner etc. They combine together and provide quality treatment for the patients.
Various rehabilitation services that are provided in these centres are medical treatment, physiotherapy methods, breathing exercises, recreational facilities, family counselling etc.
The sensational piece of information is that from these rehabilitation centres across TN as many as 17459 outpatients and 1421 inpatients have benefited.
It was later explained by Dr. Arunthamburaj, director of National Health Commission, for treating patients 20 beds have been prepared in each centre. He added that in the coming days beds would be set up in private medical college hospitals also. It must be noted that in 25 government hospitals in TN, a medical team has been formed and appropriate treatment is being provided to the patients through them.
According to Mr. Karthik Deivavinayagam, project superintendent, these centres have been set up in collaboration with the medical colleges. The medical colleges themselves provide the emergency medical services. He added that Kalankarai centres have been set up in 25 govt medical college hospitals in TN now.
