JP Nadda launches training programme for healthcare professionals to combat substance abuse
New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri JP Nadda has launched the Capacity Building Training Programme for Medical and Allied Healthcare Professionals engaged in drug de-addiction services at Kartavya Bhawan-1, New Delhi.
The programme was launched in hybrid mode in the presence of the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and senior officers from the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Home Affairs.
The programme aims to strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals involved in the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment and management of substance use disorders across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri JP Nadda congratulated the team for developing a comprehensive capacity-building programme with a structured implementation plan, incorporating online and offline training for doctors, medical officers, nurses, counsellors and other healthcare professionals. He appreciated the phased approach to training, which envisages collaboration among regional and national institutions, followed by the expansion of capacity-building activities across States and Union Territories, according to PIB.
The Union Health Minister reiterated the Government of India’s commitment, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to achieving the goal of a Nasha Mukt Bharat by 2029. He emphasised that addressing substance abuse disorders requires a coordinated, whole-of-government approach, with different Ministries and departments working in synergy towards clearly defined objectives.
Shri Nadda observed that fragmented efforts and the functioning of different departments in silos had created gaps in coordination and service delivery. He noted that the Vision Document on Narcotic Control: 2026–2029, unveiled by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, represents a coordinated effort to address these gaps by defining the responsibilities and targets of various Ministries and departments. He stressed that effective implementation would require sustained inter-ministerial coordination and collective accountability.
Highlighting the role of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Nadda stated that strengthening treatment services and building the capacity of healthcare professionals and de-addiction centres are central to the Ministry’s contribution to this national endeavour. He also underscored the importance of supporting de-addiction facilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment through appropriate training, institutional strengthening and adequate financial resources.
The Minister emphasised that the response to substance abuse disorders must extend beyond treatment to encompass prevention, enforcement and coordinated action against drug trafficking. He highlighted the importance of collaboration with law enforcement agencies, border-management authorities and other relevant stakeholders to address the challenge comprehensively. He encouraged healthcare professionals and participating institutions to share practical suggestions, including those requiring inter-departmental coordination, to strengthen implementation and address emerging challenges.
Concluding his address, Shri Nadda congratulated the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the participating institutions on the initiative. He expressed confidence that the capacity-building programme would strengthen the availability and quality of evidence-based treatment services and contribute to the collective national resolve of achieving a Nasha Mukt Bharat.
Speaking at the Occasion, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, quoted Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, emphasising that as India works towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat, it is essential to ensure that the country’s youth are physically healthy, mentally well, confident and free from the harmful effects of substance abuse. She highlighted that protecting young people from the dangers of drugs is crucial to nurturing a healthy, empowered and productive generation that can contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
She further underscored the importance of adopting a whole-of-government approach to address the challenge of substance abuse, stressing the need for coordinated efforts across Ministries, departments and institutions to strengthen prevention, awareness, treatment and rehabilitation services.
Dr. Anju Dhawan, Professor and Chief, National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS, New Delhi, delivered a presentation outlining the implementation of the capacity-building programme for healthcare professionals engaged in the treatment of substance use disorders. She highlighted the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s mandate under the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–2029), particularly the focus on strengthening treatment services and building the capacity of medical and paramedical personnel. She explained that the programme would be conducted through six institutions under the Drug De-Addiction Programme (DDAP), with NDDTC, AIIMS serving as the coordinating centre.
Dr. Dhawan elaborated on the training framework, which includes online live sessions for doctors, self-paced online modules for doctors, nurses and counsellors, and offline training for designated personnel. The curriculum covers different substances, including alcohol, cannabis, opioids, sleeping tablets and inhalants, along with the management of substance use disorders among specific groups, including women and adolescents.
During the event, Shri J.P. Nadda inaugurated the online live training programme for doctors and medical officers to be conducted by all six institutions under the Drug De-addiction Programme (DDAP). He also inaugurated the online self-paced training programme for nurses, Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). The Union Health Minister, along with the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and other dignitaries, also released the second edition of ‘Substance Use Disorder: Manual for Physicians (Management of Addictive Disorders)’.
Also Read:Haryana introduces regulatory framework for mental health establishments
