Peren, March 26 (MExN): The Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation with support from the Social Welfare Department conducted two programmes on ‘Substance use prevention, management and co- morbidities’ with drug users from TFA NGO and OST Centre, Jalukie town on the March 26.
ARK Foundation President Ketho Angami, speaking as the resource person, briefed the participants about the initial stages of addiction and how life becomes unmanageable due to the drug use habit.
He emphasized on the nature of drug use and its harmful effects on the individual and the society at large, while also urging them to seek timely intervention and access health and drug related treatment service to recover from the disease of addiction.
The resource person also highlighted some problems caused by abuse of drugs and stated that the main concern is the lack of awareness and information which results in the spread, while noting the lack of easy access to test and treatment facilities in the State.
Though overdose case incidents have decreased drastically, he urged the participants not to be complacent but to remain vigilant by preventing the likelihood of an overdose occurrence by minimizing the amount of drug use.
He also highlighted on the management of an overdose, by stating that it can be managed and reverse only through the administration of Naloxone injection.
Emphasizing on some of the prevention, testing and treatment of all drug related co-morbidities, he apprised the participants about the need to always follow preventive measures while for those who had practiced risk behaviors in the past to access all such services which are being initiated as part of national programmes.
Ketho encouraged the participants to seek early test and treatment.
Speaking about creating awareness, prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis (TB), he informed how TB becomes a killer disease if left untreated, how it spreads and why drug users are susceptible to getting the infection. Towards this he urged them to seek testing services and treatment.
He stressed on Viral Hepatitis as a silent killer and said that it is one of the major concerns apart from HIV and TB.
Unfortunately, many have died due to lack of facilities and treatment, he rued. With much advocacy and series of other strategies, India rolled out its national programme in the year 2018. Though Nagaland also has launched its programme in line with the national programme, he lamented that it is still not widely made available to the people who needs it, particularly in the eastern and other parts of Nagaland.
He concluded by encouraging the participants to practice safe and healthy habits and to keep away from drug use and prevent co-morbidities.
