The Punjab government has roped in Narcotics International, a non-profit society, to tackle drug addiction among jail inmates. Under the initiative called "peer support network", meetings will be held in jails to help drug addicts get rid of the problem, according to a statement. The initiative started from this month.
Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday said initially the initiative has been launched at 19 jails, where 1,540 inmates are attending meetings. The initiative at the rest six jails will be launched at a later staged. He said peer support is one of the three essential pillars of outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) model, that is medication, peer support and counselling.
Bains said it is vital in assisting victims of drug abuse and undergoing successful de-addiction. He said the frequency of meetings will be increased once the number of those willing to join the peer support network rises. Bains said volunteers of the international society are organising meetings in jails without charging any fee. Written material printed at the jail press will be circulated to inmates who need this support, Bains said.
(With PTI inputs)
