More and more people want to get rid of drug addiction by going to the oral replacement treatment center run at Bhadrapurasti Mechi Provincial Hospital. Deepa Niraula, the facilitator and staff nurse of the center, said that more than 1,000 drug users who wanted to get rid of drug addiction have received services at the center, which has been operating inside the hospital since Mangsir 2072.
In order to reduce the addiction of drug users in the said center, under the direct supervision of doctors and nurses, arrangements have been made to make them take drugs named methadol and buprenorphine regularly by adjusting the dosage. It has been found that few people are taking treatment services in the early years and many in the recent years. Because infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis spread when drug users share syringes unsafely, the government of Nepal started a nationwide campaign to get rid of addiction through the Methadol Maintenance Treatment Program of Nepal since 2064. By organizing the same program, the treatment center is providing services in Mechi Hospital as per the operational guidelines issued by the government in the year 2070.
Currently, 85 hard drug addicts are regularly attending and taking medicine at this center under the said hospital. "We give methadol jhol and buprenorphine tablets to those who come in contact with us under the supervision and advice of a doctor", staff nurse Niraula said while informing about the treatment service, "After taking the medicine given by us regularly for at least six months and at most one year, they become drug-free so that they can return to a normal life." Most of the people come from Jhapa and Ilam for treatment. He informed that one MBBS doctor, two staff nurses, one logistic staff and one security guard are providing services in the room provided by the hospital.
Some young people come to the center themselves with the thought that they will recover from drug addiction, while parents also bring their children in contact with them in order to get rid of the drug addiction. "Husbands and wives have been coming to us saying they want to get rid of Kulat, we are giving them medicine regularly", staff nurse Niraula said. Such people after some time collect money again and start eating out and don't come here.”
In the treatment center, people who are addicted to drugs are given a small amount of drugs that have the same properties as drugs to get rid of the addiction. The method of getting rid of addiction in users by reducing the amount every day is being used here. Psychosocial counseling is also given to users, so parents bring their children who are stuck in Kulat here for treatment. All services provided by the center are free.
Staff nurse Niraula said that 22-year-old Sarthak Sharma (name changed) from Virtamod-4, who quit addiction two years ago and returned to a normal life, came back to the treatment room this week saying, "I am wasted, I want to get better."
"The young man is now taking medicine regularly. Other youths with problems like him also come here crying", he said. "We give counseling and medicine and ask them to come with their parents. Many people who are not parents are taking treatment services. Methadol sachets and buprenorphine tablets that are administered as medicine are also considered to be hard drugs. All over the world, people who are unable to eat are cured of drug addiction through the method of reducing the amount of food they eat.
The treatment center has a consultation room, an examination room and a rest room. After taking methadol and buprenorphine drugs, arrangements have been made to stay in the same rest room until the person who is intoxicated is back to normal. Some of the drug users who have recently come into contact with the center are belligerent, so the security guards keep them under control. Methadol and buprenorphine drugs are not allowed to be taken out of the hospital, except in case of pregnancy, admission to hospital for treatment and incarceration.
This program, which is becoming effective in getting rid of drug addiction, is a collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of Nepal and the foreign donor organization Save the Children. Due to the lack of adequate publicity, the negligence of parents and the lack of social rehabilitation environment, many people who have recovered have fallen into drug addiction again. It is found that only a very small number of users in the society come to the treatment center.
Despite the government's many investments and the hard work of its employees, the number of people who fully recover is disappointing. According to the facilitator Niraula, only 15 people from this center have recovered completely and returned to normal life. When the number of drug users is increasing day by day, social problems are increasing due to this and Kayan families are being destroyed, the local level government, which has the power, resources and authority of the state, does not show any investment and interest in this matter.
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