Shillong, Sept 24: The demand for shifting the Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) Centre from Shillong Civil Hospital is unlikely to be fulfilled even as the government admits lacunae in the way of functioning of the OST Centre.
“Help the government, if you see there are these anti-social elements, instead of wanting to chase them away, let’s find a way to help them that is the only way we have to handle because no other way will be permitted by law,” said health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.
She, however, said there is a need to figure out as to why there are these gaps in the system and what are the ways and means to do it.
“I am very happy that the drug users’ association also came forward. They are now handling it, volunteers are being provided,” Lyngdoh said.
“So please give us time, we need to house that center in a better manner. We need to provide proper counselling. We need to provide proper facilities to handhold those who had gone away from mainstream,” she said.
