Context: Punjab’s Drug Control Policy focuses on prevention, de-addiction, and rehabilitation, with a central registry to monitor treatments and prevent medication misuse.
About Punjab De-Addiction Registry:
- What it is: A digital registry leveraging Aadhaar-based biometric authentication to uniquely identify patients undergoing treatment for substance abuse.
- Features:
- Tracks treatment progress across 590 Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics and private centers.
- Ensures accountability in dispensing detox medicines, preventing misuse.
- Integrates a secure data vault for Aadhaar-related information to protect patient privacy.
- Includes around 10 lakh substance abuse patients, with 7 lakhs treated in private facilities.
- Monitored by a State Steering Committee led by the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary as nodal officer.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:
- General Studies (GS) Paper 2:
- Governance and Policies: Role of state governments in implementing policies for social welfare and addressing public health crises.
- General Studies (GS) Paper 3:
- Internal Security: Tackling drug abuse and trafficking as a socio-economic and security concern.
- Technology in Governance: Use of digital platforms like Aadhaar in public service delivery and policy implementation.
- Ethics Paper:
- Accountability and Governance: Ethical considerations in addressing public health issues.
