National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is focusing on the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.  A panel of corporate hospitals like the Narayana Health, BGS Global, Columbia Asia, Manipal and MS Ramaiah Memorial, have insisted on the need to adopt information technology (IT) and mobile technology to ensure reliable drug monitoring and medication errors.

On the occasion of the Anti Drug Day observed annually on June 26, the government is now beefing up efforts to handle the crisis. It is associating several hospitals and voluntary organisations to conduct strong and extensive programmes to control the abuse.

While alcohol and drug abuse have always been a cause of concern, the UN associated agencies, several state government and central government agencies including the NRHM, are also working to increase public awareness on the harmful effects of drug abuse and the importance of staying away from drug. A multi-faceted approach is adopted to disseminate anti-drug messages.

Further, NRHM early this year initiated efforts to educate the people on doses and procedure of administering diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) tablets for lymphatic filariasis.

According to the official, there is need to educate people on medication too. The anti TB, malarial filarial medicines need to be consumed with caution. Therefore the mission is keen to ensure that regular meetings are organised to distribute leaflets, brochures and publish advertisements so that people become aware. It has also trained health workers, medical officers, ASHA and paramedical staffs to ensure that the medication doses are administered properly.

Even in Ayush, there is need for caution by patients on the methods of consumption. Some drugs cannot be taken with certain foods as it could not provide the required relief. There is need for Ayush practitioners to inform and communicate to the patients on these issues, said the NRHM official.

According to Dr Devi Shetty, chairman and managing director, Narayana Health, the erstwhile Narayana Hrudayalaya, medication errors account a huge percentage of fatality. This is where India  needs to implement IT and mobile technology. In the US, the IT adoption in healthcare is only anywhere between 10-16 per cent. Further, the US is reporting one in 200 deaths due to clinical error. Almost 10,000 people are known to have succumbed to prescription errors in the US. This is because of right processes and protocols are not adhered to. There are software available to even indicate drug interaction. This is where India is now taking the lead in ensuring its large medical centres go in for IT adoption at a faster pace. Within the next five years, smart software will have smart doctors who will now need to look at their computers even for a single opinion.

“The Anti Drug Day awareness should not be merely restricted to June 26, but should be adhere to right through the year and continued relentlessly,” said medical experts from National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences which has a dedicated de-addiction department.