Goa: 3 to 4 cases of alcohol consumption reported daily in five years

Panaji: An average of three to four chronic alcohol addiction cases have been reported daily at government de-addiction centres in Goa in the last five years, according to data shared by the state government. The data presented in the Assembly by state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Thursday also mentioned that one to two cases of chronic alcohol addiction were reported daily at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour at Bambolim near here from 2019 to May 2024. The IPHB is a government hospital dealing with mental health. The north district centre reported 1,673 cases of chronic alcohol addiction in the last five years, while the south district centre reported 4,623 cases during the same period of 2019-2023.

Chronic alcohol addiction is a medical condition characterised by a long-term, compulsive pattern of excessive alcohol consumption. The Goa government has set up special facilities in both the districts of the state to help people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. The highest number of cases were referred to both the district facilities in 2023 – 522 cases to the North District facility and 1,168 cases to the South District centre. According to the data, 523 cases were reported at IPHB in 2023, the highest in the last five years. Rane said counsellors of NGO ‘Sangat’ have been deployed at various centres to screen patients for drug addiction and refer them to these two de-addiction centres. The minister told the House that teams of medical officers, specialised psychiatrists, psychiatric counsellors, staff nurses and MPHWs (multi-purpose health workers) are available at the primary health centres and community health centres. “Further treatment referral facility, admission facility, free medicine and investigations are also available for the patients,” he said.