File report on rehab steps taken for adult drug abuse victims: HC

NEWDELHI: The Delhi government has earmarked 60 beds exclusively for in-patient management of juveniles with drug or substance abuse in seven hospitals of the capital with the creation of 45 new posts of specialised manpower consisting of psychiatrists, social workers, peer attendants.

In a status report submitted in Delhi high court by the Delhi govt’s department of women and child development, it was stated that the manpower would include six psychiatrists, six clinical psychologists, seven social workers and 23 peer attendants have been created.

Appearing for the government, counsel Rahul Mehra informed the court that while 28 of these posts have already been filled, the remaining are in the process of being filled. The hospitals in which the beds have been created are Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Patparganj, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini Pt Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital, Malviya Nagar, GB Pant Hospital, Delhi Gate,Deen Dayal Upadhayay Hospital, Hari Nagar, IHBAS and Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, Ashok Vihar.

However, the court directed the department of health to file a status report after it observed that even if the beds have been created for the juveniles there was nothing to show as to how the adults, suffering from drug abuse, are being catered.

“From the status report, it appears that the said 60 beds have been created to deal with juveniles who are suffering from drug/substance abuse.

However, there is nothing to show as to how others, namely adults, are being catered to, who may be suffering from similar drug abuse.

“The Department of Health, GNCTD should indicate in its further status report as to what infrastructure and facilities have been created to deal with the said aspect,” the court said.

The bench also directed that the report shall also specify as to how the 60 beds allocated for the treatment of juveniles have been utilised and how many patients have been treated in seven hospitals during the last one year.

The status report filed in the court on March 5 also indicated that a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on March 15 on the subject of “medical crisis management in schools” .

Following this, the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Delhi government agreed to the proposal of the Directorate of Education (DoE) for the creation of 1300 posts of staff nurses and 1300 posts of Multi-Task workers at the rate of 1 per school and 120 medical officer for 20000 students in the DOE.