Tarn Taran has max OOAT patients

CHANDIGARH: Tarn Taran has the maximum number of patients undergoing treatment at the outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) clinics for drug deaddiction.
The district tops the list with 6,161patients undergoing treatment for drug addiction followed by Amritsar with 5,366 registered patients. Moga, Gurdaspur, Faridkot have 4,762; 2,302; and 1,824 number of patients, respectively, undergoing treatment.
The OOAT clinics were launched in a phased manner by the state government in the last one year and a total of 32,352 patients are getting treatment at 129 clinics located across the state.In addition to OOAT clinics, drug de-addiction centres -- both government and private -- are also providing treatment to the addicts.
In wake of spate of suspected drug overdose deaths reported in the state in recent months, the number of drug addicts approaching these clinics for treatment has witnessed a substantial jump. In month of July, as many as 15,782 patients enrolled for treatment, highest till date. As many as 2,095 and 9,944 people enrolled for treatment in June and August respectively.
Free dose of buprenorphine (an opioid) is given to patients at the clinics. Since April 2017, the health department procured buprenorphine worth around Rs 6.2 crore for de-addiction centres and the OOAT clinics.
The government provides free of cost treatment to all the patients and also reimburses bus fare of the patients as per the rates approved by Punjab Roadways. The government plans to start around 75 new OOAT clinics, including in rural dispensaries on pilot basis.