The Excise Department in Wayanad district is preparing to set up a de-addiction centre under the Vimukthi Mission.
A district-level review meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of the mission decided to expedite steps to set up the de-addiction centre at the former general hospital complex here.
Two blocks of the complex have been handed over to the Department for the purpose, Mathew John, Excise deputy commissioner, said. It was planning to set up a centre with 10 beds and the services of psychologists, psychiatrists and staff nurses would be available here. The centre would be opened by the end of December, Mr. John said.
An outpatient block of the de-addiction centre has been functioning at the general hospital here.
The Excise Department organised as many as 25 awareness programmes against drug abuse in the district in a month under the mission, he said.
