Ten-day Alcohol De-addiction Camp to be held from Jan 1 at Baliga Hospital
Udupi: The Dr A.V. Baliga Memorial Hospital in association with the Temperance Board, Bangalore, Indian Medical Association Udupi will be holding an alcohol de-addiction camp here from January 1 to 10 said Psychiatrist Virupaksha Devaramane. He was speaking at a press meet at the press club on December 28.
Alcoholism is one of the major social evils of the society that has grown into a major problem over the last few years. We from Dr A.V.Baliga Memorial Hospital have been conducting Alcohol de-addiction camps from 2006. The De-addiction Center caters to a sizeable number of patients seeking treatment for Substance Abuse problems, mainly in the districts of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada. Of late, the Center has also been receiving patients from other places in and outside Karnataka.
Along with regular outpatient and inpatient care, the Center also conducts Alcohol De-addiction Camps. Despite so many de-addiction camps held in the community, there is still a steep rise in the number of alcohol dependents. Camps are intended to create awareness about the ill-effects of alcohol and to improve their health status. So far 24 De-addiction Camps have been successfully conducted by us. 9 special alcohol de-addiction camps have been arranged for alcohol dependents of the Koraga Tribes, and also for the Police personnel of Karwar District. Nearly 50 police personnel have benefited from the Special camps organized for the Department of Police, Karwar District. Till now over 1500 inmates have benefited from the camp and good number of Inmates are still on follow-up with us.
Food, accommodation, necessary investigations and the medical treatment expenses will be borne by Dr A.V. Baliga Charities Mumbai. Everyday lectures will be held to create awareness about the ill effects of alcohol and tobacco and addictive substances. Resource persons will deliver lectures on improving health and lifestyle management. Bhajans and cultural programs will be arranged daily by the college students of the locality. After the camp, there will be regular follow-ups by our social workers to keep track of their abstinence for the next 1 year.
Every year the institution will honour those abstinent from alcohol for a minimum period of 3 years during the last camp we have honoured more than 50 inmates who are abstinent for more than five years. During this camp also we have planned to honour addicts who have recovered from their addiction
There are female alcoholics in the society, but they may feel shy and stigmatized to come for the de-addiction treatment. For this concern, we have started a separate De-addiction ward for female alcoholics.
Camps are conducted once in 6 months for the duration of 10 days. The 25th De-addiction camp will start from 1st to 10th of January 2018 at the Dr A. V. Baliga Memorial hospital, Udupi. The camp will be inaugurated on 01.01.2018 at 10:00 am by Dr B. Srinivas Kakilaya physician, Mangalore, Dr Y. Sudarshan Rao president, IMA Karavali, will be the Chief Guest of the programme. Dr P.V. Bhandary Director, Dr A.V. Baliga Group of institutions will preside over the function.
The valedictory programme will be held on 10th of January 2018 at 2:30 pm at the Dr A.V. Baliga Memorial Hospital, Udupi. During the programme, Rudraiah, President, Alcohol Temperance Board, Government of Karnataka, Balakrishna Hegde, Principal, Government First Grade college, Thenkanediyoor, Udupi will be the Chief guests of the Programme. Dr P.V. Bhandary, Director, Dr A.V.Baliga Group of Institutions will preside over the function.
Jeevan Lewis and Dr Deepak Mallya were present in the press meet.