HANDS Treatment cum Rehabilitation Centre Inaugurated in Kalimpong

By Our DT Correspondent

Kalimpong, April 11: The Himalayan Anti-Aids and Anti Narcotic Drugs Society (HANDS) - an NGO on AIDS, Drugs and Alcohol Addiction Awareness, based in Kalimpong - under Chairpersonship of  Mrs Sarda Mukhia, inaugurated its “HANDS Treatment cum Rehabilitation Centre” at Chibbo Busty in Kalimpong, today, amidst the backdrop of Kanchanjunga and the growing Drug and Alcohol addiction problem awareness that is currently getting “noticed” in the Darjeeling, Sikkim and Siliguri areas.

The Centre was inaugurated in a ribbon cutting ceremony by Elder Pema Tamang, of El Shadai Protestant Baptist Church after conducting a prayer. Also present were noted personalities like Deputy Magistrate K Bhushal, SDMO of Kalimpong Hospital, Dr SR Pradhan, Prafulla Rao of Save The Hills, Amod Yonzon or Park Hotel, Tapan Pradhan of Shaptashree, Dr Salomi Zimba, Nereus Mukhia of David Gas, Gopal Pradhan of SBI Siliguri and others.

This is the second such Rehabilitation Centre that has been started in Kalimpong. Now there are 2 centers in Kalimpong, 3 in Darjeeling, 4 in Siliguri and 5 in Sikkim, (with one in Namchi started recently).

Speaking at the inauguration, Resource Person, Mr PJ Pradhan (Thulo), associated with the Hope Centre in Rongpu as well as the Sikkim Rehabilitation Centre (SRC), 32 Mile near Singtam, said: “Alcohol and Drug addiction is more of a ‘genetic x-factor problem’ than one of an individual’s will power against the addiction gene – which is akin to diabetes, blood pressure and other similar genetic diseases.”

He went on to elaborate that the unsuspecting society, “would do anything to treat their family members from various diseases but were yet to become aware that the ‘addiction disease’ was progressive in nature – where addicts would beg, borrow or steal – to fuel their addictions towards ‘alcohol and addictive drugs’ and that this disease would then also affect all the family members as well.”

Mr PJ Pradhan went on to add that such rehabilitation centers as HANDS and Sanity Home, in Kalimpong, played a vital role in helping patients during their detoxification period and provided psychological counseling to both the patients and family members to arrest this disease. He said that, “since this disease has no medicinal cure, the only cure was total abstinence and a spiritual awakening was necessary for this progressive disease to be arrested.”

Dr SR Pradhan, in a question answer session, pointed out that there was an urgent need for a female rehab in Kalimpong and the region, as an increasing number of female patients were being admitted to hospital in critical condition, as the society did not realize the nature of this “disease” and still stigmatized it. Mrs Sarda Mukhia in reply to the point raised by Dr SR Pradhan, mentioned that she was acutely aware of this dire need, but due to the lack of trained female personnel, HANDS was already in the process of getting such personnel trained and that they were considering opening a female wing within a year.

Sikkim already has two female rehabs – one in Singtam and the other at Naamchi. However, the need for more female rehabs with adequate facilities and proper counseling and guidance systems is still acutely felt in the region.

Mrs Sarda Mukhia then went on to thank all the generous donors, for their generous contributions to make their venture a success. “Join hands to make HANDS a success,” was the phrase Nereus Mukhia coined.

The Himalayan AIDS and Narcotic Drugs Society originated with the growing concern over the unchecked growth of HIV and Drugs/Alcohol dependency in Kalimpong and the region. The HANDS NGO was established on June 26, 2006.