By TCN News,
Mira Road (Dist Thane, Maharashtra): An Awareness-cum-Counseling Medical Camp was held at Banegar School aimed at countering the alarmingly escalating cases of drug addiction and was attended by close to 200 drug addicts and their relatives.
It was organized jointly by the Jamate Islami Hind (JIH), Mira Road, Medical Service Society (MSS), Mira Road and the Mira Road Medical Association of Family Physicians (MMAFP) in collaboration with Educare Foundation and a team of doctors from Masina Hospital here on Sunday.
The program began with the recitation of Surah Maidah: ayaat 90-93, wherein the Allah has conclusively prohibited intoxicants and has, in His infinite mercy, assured forgiveness and absolution to those who repent and give up their past habits, a release from the organizers said.
Dr Aijaz, secretary, MMAFP, spoke on the ill effects of drug abuse. Javed Shaikh, a member of the National Integration Forum, and secretary of the Department of Community Affairs, JIH Mumbai, highlighted the political and mafia nexus involved in drug peddling, which, he said gave a strong immunity to the perpetuators of this crime.
Uzma Syed and her colleague Navin from Educare interacted with the audience and shattered many myths related to Meth (Methamphetamine). They also presented a wonderful skit which taught the audience how innocent young people are lured into taking Meth, MD or Meow (or any other name by which it is sold) under the false pretext of improving their lives and waving a magic wand over all their problems, only to be later trapped in the pernicious cascade of bankruptcy, theft and ultimately- death. “The audience was trying hard to hold back their tears as they could relate to the actors in the play and saw their own lives being enacted on stage,” the release said.
Inspector Khedekar from Mira Road police station was the chief guest. He promised full assistance from the Police department in “waging a war against this sinister conspiracy, which threatens to destroy an entire generation of potentially promising youth.” He also pleaded the parents to help police in this regard. Dr Ghabrani from Masina Hospital advised the parents to build a healthy rapport with their children to keep them away and to pull them out of drugs.
Counseling session:
The counseling session began thereafter which saw addicts as well as their relatives personally interacting with the expert team of doctors. Mothers waited in the queue to pour their hearts out and seek solutions to salvage their families. “Even the doctors who are used to seeing pain and disease day in and day out could not help but weep as they came across cases where as many as four people of a single family had become victims of drug abuse,” the release added.
It was all too obvious that there were many others out there who needed urgent help to save them from impending disaster. It is hoped that this camp will help in easing their inhibitions and they would venture out to seek medical and psychological counseling and treatment, the organizers said.
Naveed Anjum, secretary for Community Affairs, JIH Mira Road, said: “JIH has been striving since the past one year to realize the dream of a Drug-free Mira Road and this camp was but a part of a larger de-addiction campaign. It would, inshaAllah, continue till we achieve our goal.”