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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Medical students protest bond policy, fee hike in Punjab
Amid widespread unrest over a recent hike in tuition fees and the introduction of a controversial bond policy, the Medical Student Association (MSA), Punjab, met with medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Friday to register their protest. Amid widespread unrest over a recent hike in tuition fees and the introduction of a controversial bond policy, the Medical Student Association (MSA), Punjab, met with medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh at Government Medical College, Amritsar, on Friday to register their protest. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image) The student delegation submitted a memorandum demanding immediate withdrawal of the corrigendum issued by the Punjab government on June 13, 2025. The corrigendum, which implements a 5% annual fee increase and formalises a compulsory service bond, has triggered protests across the state's medical institutions. 'With fees soaring to ₹ 2.49 lakh annually for government quota students and ₹ 14.94 lakh for private management quota, we are left to survive on a ₹ 15,000 stipend — the lowest in the region,' said Dr Archit Bawa of the MSA. 'If a fee hike is justified annually, why doesn't the stipend increase by the same logic?' Calling the policy 'insensitive and unjust,' students argued it would make medical education inaccessible for students from low-income families. Many pointed out that while the state government takes pride in the success of government school students in NEET-UG, a large number may not be able to afford an MBBS seat even in government colleges due to the revised fee structure. Despite 474 students from government schools clearing NEET-UG this year, financial hurdles now threaten their future. A student from Bathinda's meritorious school who scored 564 marks, and another from Abohar who scored 493, are both eligible for government seats but may not be able to join due to the steep costs. Their fathers work as a tailor and a daily wage labourer, respectively. According to the revised structure, a student would need to spend nearly ₹ 10 lakh over the course of an MBBS degree in a government college. When hostel and mess charges are included, the total climbs to ₹ 13–14 lakh. In contrast, tuition fees in neighboring states remain significantly lower — around ₹ 3.19 lakh in Himachal Pradesh and ₹ 4.5 lakh in Haryana for government colleges. A government school teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that several meritorious students have opted for medical colleges outside Punjab under the all-India quota due to the more affordable fee structure. Meanwhile, a senior official from the Punjab medical education department defended the move, calling the 5% hike a 'routine annual revision' initiated during the previous government's tenure in 2020. 'We didn't introduce a new hike this year — it's a continuation of existing policy,' the official claimed. However, student bodies like the MSA and Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) continue to question the logic. 'If quality education is the aim, financial sustainability must also include fair stipends and equitable access,' said Dr. Mehtab Bal of RDA Patiala. Responding to the protests, Dr Balbir Singh assured the students that their concerns would be taken into serious consideration. He reiterated that the government is committed to providing subsidized, quality medical education while acknowledging the need to strike a balance between cost and accessibility.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
21k participate in ‘CM di Yogshala' event in Jalandhar
As many as 21,000 yoga enthusiasts participated in a state-level 'CM Di Yogshala' event held at the PAP Ground in Jalandhar on Thursday. Chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann was expected to be present at the event, but his visit was cancelled at the eleventh hour due to unavoidable circumstances. Health minister Dr Balbir Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. 'The CM has a lot of engagements and unavoidable circumstances, which is why he couldn't be here today,' Dr Balbir said. Addressing the gathering, the health minister gave a clarion call to the people to make yoga an integral part of their daily lives. 'It was heartening to see people from all walks of life participating enthusiastically in this mega event. The 'CM di Yogshala' is serving as a stepping stone towards building a healthier and more vibrant Punjab,' he said. Accompanied by deputy commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal, commissioner of police Dhanpreet Kaur, the minister said the initiative was launched two years ago from Jalandhar under the leadership of CM Mann and presently around 3,200 yoga classes are conducted daily across the state, benefiting nearly one lakh people. He added that trained yoga instructors have been appointed to teach yoga, and he appealed to everyone to make yoga an inseparable part of their lives in order to stay healthy and fit, helping Punjab become a truly healthy state. He stressed that maintaining good health and managing stress is the need of the hour, especially as people face multiple challenges in their daily lives. The minister added that the rising stress levels are a major concern and yoga can play a significant role in combating this issue. During the event, the minister announced that the 'CM Di Yogshala' programme would soon be extended to rural areas as well.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Bhagwant Mann missing from Punjab's ‘CM di Yogshala', 21,000 others perform yoga
Jalandhar: The "CM di Yogshala" programme on Thursday drew over 21,000 participants at the PAP ground here, with the state govt claiming a new record for attendance at a single yoga event. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Chief minister , slated to preside, was absent, and health minister Dr Balbir Singh led the mega gathering. State govt officials indicated that initial preparations were for 17,000 yoga mats, but public response "exceeded all expectations". Addressing the participants, minister Balbir Singh urged attendees to integrate yoga into their daily routines. He expressed pride in the widespread participation, stating that Punjab was on its way to regaining its "glory as a healthy and dynamic state". The minister highlighted that the initiative, launched two years ago from Jalandhar under CM Mann's leadership, now facilitates approximately 3,200 daily yoga classes across the state, benefiting nearly 100,000 people. He further noted the appointment of trained yoga instructors and credited AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal as the mastermind behind the "CM di Yogshala" initiative. Senior civil and police officials, alongside prominent AAP leaders, were also in attendance.
