Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation, with support from Social Welfare department as part of drug free India campaign, conducted sensitisation programmes on substance use prevention, management and co-morbidities, with two programmes conducted virtually on January 13 with drug users, and in partnership with NEDHIV-Tuli and YMS-Tamlu TI projects, and third programme conducted on January 16, was held in the office of OST centre, District Hospital Wokha.
A press release by ARK Foundation stated that, resource person, president ARK foundation, Ketho Angami, emphasised on nature of drug use and its harmful effects on individual and society at large. He encouraged people to never initiate first use of drugs by never getting introduced to any sort of addictive substance while also urged those who are already in habit, to seek timely interventions and recover from the disease.
Ketho further shared that “drug use” was a dangerous habit as during course of addictive days, drug users come across various risk factors such as deaths because of overdose, likelihood of HIV, viral hepatitis and TB infection on daily basis. He remarked that the main concern was lack of awareness and information which resulted in the spread, while also there was the challenge for easy access to all such test and treatment facilities in our state. On the subject of drug overdose, he said it was reversible and that human lives should not be lost due to overdose.