Methadone emerges as new hope in Punjab’s fight against drug addiction:Health Minister

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Chandigarh, July 20

For many people struggling with opioid addiction, recovery can be a long and difficult journey. Punjab is now offering a new treatment option that officials hope will help more patients break free from dependence and rebuild their lives.

The state has introduced Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT), an internationally recognised treatment for people with severe opioid dependence, including those who have not been able to recover through existing therapies.

The move is part of Punjab’s wider anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh, which focuses on rehabilitation and giving people a chance to return to healthy family and social lives.

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said methadone therapy would strengthen the state’s treatment system by supporting patients who are at a higher risk of relapse.

“MMT, being implemented according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), provides an effective treatment option for people with long-term opioid dependence,” he said.

He added that the aim was not only to treat addiction but also to help patients regain stability, reconnect with their families and become active members of society.

Punjab has traditionally relied on Buprenorphine-based Opioid Substitution Therapy through more than 500 OOAT centres, along with rehabilitation programmes focused on helping people remain drug-free.

Methadone therapy will now provide another path for those who need additional support.

Six dedicated methadone clinics are currently operating at Government Medical College, Faridkot; Civil Hospital, Ludhiana; Government Medical College, Patiala; and district hospitals in Gurdaspur, Mohali and Jalandhar. Six more centres are planned, which will increase the number of facilities to 12.

At these clinics, patients will receive their daily methadone dose under medical supervision, along with counselling, psychiatric support, relapse prevention guidance and help for families.

Doctors say the supervised approach is designed to keep treatment safe while helping patients manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Methadone is not a cure by itself, but it is a medically approved tool that helps people control opioid dependence. It works on the same areas of the brain affected by opioids, reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms without producing the intense high linked to drugs such as heroin.