Latest news with #AssociationofPsychiatrists
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Punjab to involve private psychiatrists in deaddiction efforts
To strengthen deaddiction services across Punjab, health minister Dr Balbir Singh announced the inclusion of private psychiatrists in government-run deaddiction centres. The move aims to address the growing patient load and improve the quality of care for individuals battling substance abuse. Under the new initiative, private psychiatrists will provide consultations at government deaddiction centres for two hours each weekday. To encourage participation, the government has offered a remuneration of ₹1,500 per hour. Psychiatrists will have the flexibility to choose their consultation timings to avoid clashes with their private practice. A key highlight of the programme is the government's decision to allow participating private psychiatrists to dispense Buprenorphine, a drug used in opioid substitution treatment (OST). Until now, the use of Buprenorphine was restricted to government facilities and licenced private substance use disorder treatment centres (SUDTCs). Legislative changes will be made to facilitate this expansion. 'At present, some centres have a single doctor handling over 250 to 300 patients a day. This affects the quality of care. With private psychiatrists coming on board, the patient load will be shared, improving overall treatment outcomes,' said Dr Balbir Singh. Dr Ashish Sharma, secretary of the Association of Psychiatrists, welcomed the move and described Buprenorphine as the 'gold standard' in opioid addiction treatment. While some psychiatrists expressed concerns about the timeline for implementation, the minister assured that those who complete the necessary formalities will be allowed to begin OST within a week. Punjab currently has 36 government deaddiction centres with around 45 psychiatrists. The state has also collaborated with private hospitals, medical and nursing colleges to increase the number of available deaddiction beds to around 5,000.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Health minister suspends Ludhiana doc after bribery video surfaces
Ludhiana: State health minister Balbir Singh announced immediate suspension of a doctor from Ludhiana Civil Hospital on Sunday after a video showing him accepting money from a patient's family surfaced. He shared this information during a function organised by the Association of Psychiatrists (AOP), in collaboration with the Punjab government. The event titled, "Saanjhi Raah" (common path) was held at Pal auditorium, Punjab Agricultural University. A statement issued by the government said that the action was taken to uphold the integrity of healthcare services. The minister said, "A departmental probe has been ordered to investigate the incident. Strict action will be taken against those involved in corrupt practices. The Punjab government maintains zero-tolerance policy against corruption." According to sources, the minister received the video of the doctor (surgeon) accepting the bribe during the function itself, following which he ordered the suspension. The health minister said that the government has given proper pay scale and facilities to doctors, who were satisfied. Observing that most doctors were working with honesty, he declared that corruption would not be tolerated.
