The U-Treatment and Rehabilitation of Users for Social Transformation (U-TRUST) on Tuesday appealed to the Social Welfare Department to review and extend a period of six months for rehabilitation centres recently blacklisted.
This extension, they argue, would provide these centres with the opportunity to rectify their shortcomings and continue serving the drug users community effectively.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal, U-TRUST publicity secretary H Kishorchand revealed that 31 rehabilitation centres under U-TRUST were recently blacklisted by the Social Welfare Department.
Kishorchand highlighted that many of these centres were non-funded and privately operated, and faced rejection primarily due to issues related to documentation, accounting, and staffing inadequacies.
He emphasised that many of these centres lacked the necessary training and resources to address these deficiencies, which significantly impacted their ability to meet the required standards.
Kishorchand further noted that the ongoing ethnic violence and prevailing socio-political situation in the region had exacerbated the challenges faced by these centres, making it difficult for them to address their shortcomings within the stipulated time frame.
“The ethnic violence and the prevailing situation have also impacted the non-funded private rehabilitation centres to work on their shortcomings in time,” he added.
Highlighting the potential adverse effects of rejecting these centres on the drug user community, he said “Many private rehabilitation centres in the rejected list have ample room for improvement to be eligible as TRUST Centres if given some time and support.”
In light of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which ensures the right to health and clinical consideration, Kishorchand requested the government to grant at least a six-month extension for the blacklisted centres to recover and comply with the guidelines set by the Social Welfare Department.
Meanwhile, Rohit Anand, Deputy Commissioner, Kakching has ordered that “all the unregistered de-addiction centres operating in the Kakching District shall cease to function with immediate effect”.
Further, in case, if there is any client/patient undergoing treatment in the unregistered de-addiction centres which are being closed, then, the said centres shall immediately Inform the family members of the patients to get them transferred to other registered centres located in Kakching District immediately viz, (i) Healing Point, Machin Manao Hills, Kakching (IRCA) (ii) Phidam, Machin Manao Hills, Kakching (IRCA) (III) Better Living, Rehabilitation Centre for Substance Abuse Behavioural Addiction, Sora, Ching Wangma Kakching (private de-addiction centre),” the order, dated 21 May, 2024 stated, adding that “only the above mentioned 3 (three) centres are registered/authorized centres in Kakching District.”
The Kakching DC order came following the order of the Director, Social Welfare Department, Manipur with regards to unregistered private de-addiction centres and for the concerned authorities to take action “for closing of all unregistered de-addiction centres falling under Kakching District”.
