50% patients at DHD are alcoholics — Senior doctor

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, July 19: Alcoholism appears to be rampant in Nagaland with hospitals tending to alcohol-related illnesses throughout the year. Fifty per cent of the patients at District Hospital Dimapur (DHD) are alcohol-related cases, according to Dr. C Kezo, a senior psychiatrist.

He was speaking at the launch of North East Artist Network (NEAN) Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) campaign on Friday at the Tourist Lodge in Dimapur. Alcohol abuse ranks highest among the list of substance abuse, and the numbers increase right after the “festive season” and elections, he said.

Kezo pointed out the impracticality of the NLTP Act stating that it was just on paper; and it, rather, increases the ‘chances of illegal selling of alcohol because of the restrictions.’

“Money has power and if the Act is not implemented strongly, there will be bootleggers, and who will take action against those selling liquor illegally even after the Act is in (existence in) paper?” Dr. Kezo questioned.

He said that it was pointless to conduct awareness campaigns or activities for psychiatric illness because of the lack of manpower in the psychiatric department. He also stated that there were only six beds at the District Detox Centre (DDC). He suggested that the government lay emphasis on this subject, as alcohol has become an important public health issue.

Dr. Kezo further explained that Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a condition that is sometimes called alcoholism. He said that AUD is a pattern of alcohol use that involves problems controlling drinking habits; being preoccupied with alcohol; continuing to use alcohol even when it causes problems; having to drink more to get the same effect or having withdrawal symptoms when there is rapid decrease in drinking; and could lead to chronic relapse disease.

According to the senior psychiatrist, alcoholism cannot be treated through medical attention, as long as the person consuming alcohol has ‘no willpower to stop the abuse.’

The only option to treat this is through ‘real help’ and encouragement, he said. He was encouraged to see many goodwill organisations coming forward to help alcoholics and not treat alcoholism as a stigma.

Toshiba Jamir, a member of the core committee in-charge of the NEAN NLTP initiative campaign, said that the NLTP Act has achieved its purpose. However, there are important issues relating to alcoholism which still need systematic intervention and policies in strengthening the implementation of the Act, he stated.

“The ever-increasing number of alcohol victims in the state is indicative of the low level awareness and understanding of NLTP Act by the masses of the state. The inflow of spurious liquor in the form of IMFL illegally in the state poses a grave concern and endangers many lives,” Jamir said.

According to Jamir, there are three approaches to address substance addiction: harm reduction, demand, and supply reduction. The supply reduction hardly gives positive outcome in many areas and the NLTP Act falls under supply reduction.

Therefore, he said, ‘we need to apply both demand and harm reduction which will help to understand the ground realities more deeply with facts and figures and which will lead to a healthier discussion.’ Without these components, he said, any discussion may result in conflict.

Jamir said that the NEAN has initiated mass-based community awareness intervention activities on alcoholism. The organisation puts focus on NLTP Act called “NEAN NLTP initiatives” and carries the slogan “take the first step for alcohol recovery.”

Its objective is to bring about a positive and balanced understanding by generating widespread awareness about the NLTP Act, he said.

Jamir further stated that NEAN aims to bring the NLTP Act to the public domain, for positive disseminations and enhanced awareness level of rampant alcohol abuse in Naga society, which will strengthen the implementation of the Act.