The NACO Oral Substitute Program of North East India

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I am living in Churachandpur, Manipur, Northeast India. It is politically

neglected by the mainland of India

Unfortunately almost all the state of Northeast India was hit by the pandemic of

Illegal Drugs Use and HIV/AIDS. Unlike other state of India the major route of

transmission of HIV was via sharing injecting paraphernalia

Under the NACO (NACP III) Bruprenorphine oral substitution program in North East

India I would like to share the ground reality and the program. Being recipient

I want to highlight my experience as well as my friend's woes.

I am not opposing the harm reduction program we all know that the impact of the

harm reduction program a cross the world. So far about 2000 IDUs/PLHAs are

enrolled and benefited the substitution program in Churachandpur Manipur India.

There are many people who are on Bruprenorphine substitution program more than

two years (2yrs) and eagerly want to stay clean and lead a sobriety life.

WHEREAS The NACO (NACP III ) program don't have a provision of rehabilitation

for those who want to stop taking the oral substitute and abstain from drugs .

As a result many of my friends who want to quit BRUPRENORPHINE are using HERION

for detoxification in order to quit the substitution while as they again hook to

their old habit and relapse and back to rock bottom again.

I would like to share one incidence of my friend who regularly take oral

substitute for more than two years and want to stay clean and lead a sobriety

life, whereas he can't effort the rehabilitation fee, he quit the oral

substitution at home for two days and the third days the withdrawal are too

munch he can no longer bear, so in order to detoxified once he fix heroin and

died overdose!!!

IF NACO have a provision of rehabilitation program for those who want to stop

taking the substitution my friend would be still alive.

I would like to request to bureaucrats of NACO on behalf of the recipients of

Oral Substation to re looked the program and streamline so that the NACO Oral

Substitution program get success.

I would like to suggest some change

1.The program should not be a therapy it should be a treatment

2.There should be a provision for those who regularly take the Oral substitution

for 6 months or 1 year if they want to quit, they should be allowed to minimize

or cut down their dose and refer to a rehabilitation program and provide their

rehabilitation fee.

3.The NACO should give preference to the community org. to implement the program

Regards

Mike Tonsing

Recipient of OST

Churachandpur , Manipur

Northeast India

Mobile:09862449765

E-MAIL: <mikednp@...>