A year after a de-addiction centre was set up by the Corporation, the facility is grappling with acute manpower crunch.
The Corporation Welfare Centre for De-addiction has been operating with just one medical officer and two counsellors, among other staff, since its inception.
It is in dire need of more counsellors and a ward for women, an official said.
Though it was set up for the benefit of conservancy workers, the facility is open to one and all.
“A large number of conservancy workers take to alcohol to cope with the nature of their job and the stress. This in turn, affects their work and family life, too,” said A. Champakalakshmi, medical officer and consultant psychiatrist of the Chennai Corporation.
The 15-bed hospital has treated 407 patients, of whom, 270 have remained sober. The hospital has just one ward for men and none for women. They have often had to turn away women patients, as a result. “We have sent a request to the health department,” said a staff member.
According to Dr. Champakalakshmi, workers who get themselves admitted at the Centre often face ostracism from family members and the society.
“Some patients do not get any visitors during their stay at the hospital. Apart from the patients, family members too need counselling to help them come to terms with the situation,” she said, adding that more counsellors were needed for the job.
The Centre also gets patients for follow-up sessions to help them refrain from returning to alcohol.
“Using classical conditioning, we help the patients to develop an aversion to alcohol,” said Dr. Champakalakshmi. She added that a strong sense of motivation to get cured is a mandate for admission to the Centre.
The Centre is now building a ward for relapse patients. “The new facility will handle relapse patients who need a stronger course of treatment. The ward should be ready in four to five months,” she said. Counsellors will be needed for the relapse ward as well, she said.
