New digital drug de-addiction registry portal fails addicts in Ropar
Ropar: A new digital drug de-addiction registry portal in Ropar district, launched as a pilot initiative to improve transparency and accountability, has sparked chaos, resulting in long delays, overcrowding and growing frustration among recovering addicts struggling with the registration process.
The portal, aimed at curbing misuse and pilferage of opioid medications, requires Aadhaar-linked registration and detailed treatment record-keeping. Yet, instead of streamlining patient onboarding, the complex interface has made registrations laborious, with each taking between 15 to 30 minutes to complete.
"There are 12 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics currently serving around 5,000 patients in the district, with three more clinics in the pipeline," a senior district health official said.
"Due to the portal's complexity and insufficient trained staff, we have deployed 10 additional personnel, but the pressure remains overwhelming. This has affected other hospital services, and intermittent internet disruptions further delay the process.
Even after registration, patients spend at least 15 minutes per visit updating their records on the portal."
Patients reportedly begin queuing outside the district hospital early each morning.
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The limited registration capacity combined with a surge in footfall—following the state's intensified anti-drug campaign 'Yuddh Nashiyan De Virudh'—has exacerbated tensions. Health officials confirmed that police used lathicharge on at least two occasions recently to control agitated crowds.
Doctors at other de-addiction centres have voiced similar concerns. "The portal demands extensive data entry — Aadhaar details, medical histories, and numerous fields must be precisely completed.
Even minor errors, such as misplaced punctuation, force a complete restart," one doctor said. "Previously, doctors could jot down brief patient histories, but now every detail must be exact, complicating the process for both patients and medical staff.
This consumes precious time and limits counselling, an essential part of recovery. Currently, we're mostly dispensing medicine without proper treatment."
Despite increasing bed capacity at the district hospital from 10 to 36, all beds remain fully occupied.
Health officials warn that without tripling the current staff strength, the system will continue to falter.
"We support the portal's aim to prevent medicine diversion, but its implementation is deeply flawed," a senior medical officer noted. "What was intended as a safeguard has become a barrier, harming the very people we aim to help."
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A Patient Nightmare
A recovering addict said that they we're not getting medicines on time.
"Staff keep telling us our registration is still pending. Two weeks ago, police had to step in when the crowd became unruly. Some of us are desperate," he said.
Another patient from Nurpur Bedi shared his ordeal: "Doctors prescribe medication only for up to two weeks. In the past two hours, only four patients received their medicine. Every visit takes more than four hours, and only if we manage to submit all Aadhaar details correctly."
A handwritten notice outside Room No. 40 at the district hospital states: "Medicine will not be given after 12:30 pm," leaving many patients stranded after hours of waiting.
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