Punjab battles drug crisis, Mental Healthcare Act yet to be fully enforced
Chandigarh: Even as Punjab has waged a high-decibel war on drugs through its flagship 'Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh' campaign, the state govt has fallen short on a crucial front — the full implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA), which experts say is essential for effective, rights-based treatment of drug addiction.
While the state made progress in expanding treatment access, with over 10 lakh individuals currently undergoing treatment at 529 govt-run outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) centres and 180 private centres, experts have flagged critical gaps in aligning de-addiction services with the provisions of the MHCA.
Punjab initiated steps toward implementing the Act by establishing the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) in 2018 and notifying the Punjab State Mental Healthcare (Standards of Care) Rules in 2019.
However, full enforcement remains elusive. The Punjab and Haryana high court earlier this year had directed the state to comply with all the mandatory provisions of the MHCA, pointing to the gaps in execution.
The Act, once fully implemented, ensures that drug addiction is treated as a mental health issue — not a criminal one. It promotes care over punishment, dignity over stigma, and sustainable recovery over temporary detox, while safeguarding patient rights and ensuring standardised, ethical treatment practices.
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The
Indian Psychiatric Society
(IPS) wrote to Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh, urging the govt to expedite the MHCA implementation across the state. The IPS lauded the intent behind 'Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh', calling it a timely and sensitive response to Punjab's worsening substance abuse crisis. The society also welcomed the inclusion of private sector psychiatrists in the campaign, labelling it a much-needed step toward inclusive public health reform.
The Indian Psychiatric Society members, however, expressed concern over the current treatment protocols in the state, calling these "flawed and a hindrance" in treatment. They stressed that all matters regarding the treatment of addiction had to be monitored under the provision of the MHCA and not under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
They also called for the routine use of evidence-based medications such as buprenorphine, in line with international standards, to ensure effective outcomes.
The IPS recommended that during inspections of de-addiction centres or psychiatric facilities, any concerns involving psychiatrists should be referred to the district or state mental health review boards constituted under the MHCA. Disciplinary action, they said, should follow only after recommendations from these statutory bodies.
A senior health department official said efforts were underway to implement the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 in its entirety, and the enforcement process was expected to be completed soon.
Despite repeated attempts, health minister Dr Balbir Singh could not be reached for comments.
Health Department Working On Modalities (BOX)
Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh has announced that private psychiatrists would be permitted to dispense buprenorphine and naloxone to patients undergoing treatment for substance abuse. The department has started working on the modalities.
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