Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh Honoured

An impressive event on Soulful Recital of Gurbani Sangeet Orchestra in Classical Ragas using Traditional Stringed Instruments was organised at the MGM Institute of Health Sciences, Navi Mumbai recently the students of Akal Academy Baru Sahib presented captivating orchestral performance.

Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh, Director Akal Drug De-Addiction Centres discussed the topic ‘Drug Abuse: A Global Problem’ to drive home the urgent need of addressing the menace of drug abuse, and the ways to tackle the issue, particularly by initiating preventive measures.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh, citing UN Office on Drugs and Crime, 2023 statistics, said over the last two decades the people who use drugs have grown by 23%, whereas the population increased by 6% during the same period. The number of annual deaths attributed to drugs, alcohol and nicotine globally is 12 million. In India, the prevalence of opioid use is three times that of the global average, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment report of 2019. The problem is huge and increasing rapidly.

He said the holistic treatment, the blend of traditional treatment with spirituality, family therapy, yoga and recreational activities, gives better outcome than traditional treatment alone. Holistic procedure also includes preventive measures. Various teams of The Kalgidhar Trust Baru Sahib / Akal Drug De-Addiction Centres were involved in spreading awareness about drugs in schools, colleges and universities. In addition walkathons, marathons races were conducted to involve people from all walks of life for education about drugs. A webinar was organised which won the world record for participation by maximum number of humans.

A long-term impact study of the holistic inpatient treatment programme conducted on the patients of Akal Drug De-Addiction Centre, Cheema (Punjab). Around half of the patients achieved lasting recovery. The mean age of onset was 21 ± 7 years. Relapse rate 33% vis-a-vis global rate is 40% to 60% WHO. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry, PGIMER, Chandigarh, and published in the Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry in June 2023.

The event marked the honouring of Dr (Col) Rajinder Singh in recognition of his distinguished contribution in the field of drug de-addiction, notably in northern India. Dr Sudhir Kadam, Medical Director of the MGM Institute of Health Sciences, highlighted that even at 92, Dr Singh stands firm in his crusade against drugs, proving that dedication to a noble cause knows no age.

Earlier, Ms Aditi Kini welcomed the audience, while Dr Anamika Chalwadi proposed the vote of thanks. The audience, also comprising medical students, evinced keen interest in the event which was highly applauded.