New Delhi [India], February 9 (ANI): As a part of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MOSJE) Virendra Kumar, Minister (MOSJE), Govt of India inaugurated an Addiction Treatment Facility at the Department of Psychiatry, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital, along with 40 other ATFs throughout the country, in a virtual ceremony from the Ambedkar International Convention Centre, New Delhi, in the presence of Minister of State (MOSJE), Pratima Bhaumik, Saurabh Garg (Secretary), Radhika Chakravarthy (Joint Secretary), along with AIIMS director M Srinivas and other dignitaries, a press release said.

Virendra Kumar in his address, highlighted the serious problem of drug abuse amongst youth, especially in schools and colleges. There is a concerted collaborative effort by the MOSJE and the Home Ministry to strike at both ends of the demand and supply of drugs in the country.

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The ATF Centre inauguration event by the Department of Psychiatry, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital was held in the presence of the Medical Superintendent, Dr Vandana Talwar, Additional MS Dr PS Bhatia, Dr Jayanthi Mani, Dr Vandana Chakravarty and Dr Pankaj Verma, Head of the Department. The ATF at Safdarjung Hospital shall be a premier facility with all treatment modalities for patients struggling with drug dependence.

Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) is a MOSJE scheme in technical partnership with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Center (NDDTC), AIIMS. To curb the menace of drug demand, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, has implemented the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) under which financial assistance is provided to state governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations for preventive education and awareness, capacity building, skill development, vocational training and the livelihood of ex-drug addicts.

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Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs, etc., and NGOs/VOs for the running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (lRCAs), community-based peer-led intervention (CPLI) for early drug use prevention among adolescents and Outreach and Drop-In Centers (ODIC), addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) in government hospitals and district de-addiction centers (DDACs) in the identified gap districts are also running. (ANI)

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