Treatment of substance use disorders through the government health facilities: Developments in the “Drug De-addiction Programme” of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a major problem worldwide, including in India, and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, addresses the prevention and rehabilitation aspect of substance use through the establishment of “rehabilitation centers” run by nongovernmental organizations. The Drug De-addiction Programme (DDAP) was initiated in 1988 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and was mandated with provision of treatment for SUDs. Through the DDAP, de-addiction centers (DACs) have been established in government hospitals by providing a one-time financial grant by the central government, with the recurring expenses to be borne by the state governments. In addition, some premier institutions as well as DACs from Northeastern region are provided annual recurring grants for their functioning. Capacity building has been a major focus area of DDAP in which nonspecialist medical officers working in government hospitals have been trained, and various training materials have been developed. Another major area of work is the development of “drug abuse monitoring system” to track the pattern of drug use and profile among individuals seeking treatment in the DACs. Monitoring and evaluation exercises carried out show that the existing model of inpatient treatment and of shared responsibility between central and state governments is partially successful. The establishment of drug treatment clinics on pilot basis with a focus on outpatient treatment and direct support from the DDAP for staff as well as for medicines is showing encouraging results.